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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

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THE 

MODE  and  SUBJECTS  of  BAPTISM 
EXAMINED, 

IN 

SEVEN    SERMONS, 

TO  WHICH   IS   ADDED, 

A  BRIEF  HISTORY 

OF    THE 

BAPTISTS. 

t 

By  DANIEL  MERRILL,  A.  M. 

fASTOR.  OF  THE   CHURCH  OF    CHRIST    IN    SEDGWlCt, 


Doth  our  law  judge  any  man  before  it  hear  him,  and  know  tvhai 
he  doeth  ?     Nicodemvs.  John  vii.  51. 

Whofotver  he  be  of  you  thai  forfaketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he 
cannot  be  my  difciple.  Jesus  Christ. 


SALEM: 
PRINTED    BY    JOSHUA    CUSHING- 


pHce  2  c  Cent< 


i 


J0 


TO  THfi  READER. 

o 

Fellow  Traveller  to  Eternity, 

\  OU  and  I  are  the  offspring  of  God.  The 
period  of  our  return  to  him  fwjftly  approach- 
es. Then  the  motive  I  have  had  in  writing, 
and  which  you  mall  have  had  in  reading,  will 
both  be  known.  How,  and  how  far,  the  fol- 
lowing pages  will  affect  my  prefent  and  future 
life,  is  with  the  Lord.  How  far  they  mail 
affect  thine,  is  alio  with  Him.  One  thing;  is 
certain  :  the  truth  of  what  I  have  written 
will  be  foon  known.  You  are  willing  to 
know  it  now,  provided  you  know  the  value 
of  the  gofpel,  and  poiTefs  an  heart  humbled 
by  its  doctrines. 

Reader,  be  not  offended  at  what  I  have 
written,  till  you  be  fure  it  is  falfe.  Do  thy- 
felf  no  harm.  Read,  confider,  compare  eve- 
vry  part,  and  the  whole  with  divine  truth, 
in  fuch  a  manner  and  fpirit,  as  mall  yield 
thee  a  pleafing  reflection  in  the  world  to 
come. 

If 


1  1V-  J 

If  the  fubjecl,  as  here  prefented,  be  true,  it  is 
a  ferious  truth.  If  an  error,  it  is  a  ferious 
one.  It  nearly  concerns  the  kingdom  of  Em- 
manuel, to  whofe  pleafure  and  mercy  the 
whole  is  cheerfully  refigned, 

By, 

Reader, 

Thy  Servant, 
For  jefus'  Sake; 

Tm  AUTHOR., 

Sedgwick,  Dec.  27,  1804= 


[    5    1 


THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS 


BAPTISM*. 


S  E  R  M  O  N    I. 

c    .. 

MATTHEW  XVIII.  19,  20. 

Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  lap:\%:r.g  them  hihenamt  ' 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  So",  and  of  the  HoJj  Ghfl  ;    teach- 
ing them  to  ohferte  all  things  ivhatfoever  I  have  commanded 
you  :  And,  !o,  I  am   with  you  ahvay,  even  unto  the  end  cf 
the  world.      Amen. 

IT  hath  pleafed  the  Father  of  Mercies  to  befiow  en  • 
fallen  man  a  revelation  from  heaven.  In  it  is  con- 
tained the  fcheme  of  grace,  which  brings  life  and  im- 
mortality to  light.  It  fnows  the  way  by  which  to  es- 
cape the  wrath  to  come,  and  to  find  the  favour  of  God. 
All  fcripture  is  given  by  his  inspiration,  and  is  profitable 
for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  initruclion  - 
in  righteoufnefs  ;  that  the  man  cf  God  may  be  perfect, 
thoroughly  furniihed  unto  all  good  works. 

Till  the  human  heart  be  humbled,  in  meafure,  man 
feels  not  his  need  of  divine  teaching  ;  nor  will  he  make 
the  fcriptures  the  man  of  his   counfel.     But,  my  breth- 
ren, and  people,  it  is  doubtlcfs  the  cafe,  that  many  cf 
A  2  you-' 


6  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS      [Serm.I.J 

you  poflefs  a  willingnefs  to  have  your  principles  and 
practice  fquared  by  the  word  and  teftimony  of  Jefus 
Chrift.  My  text  contains  fome  of  the  laft  words  of  our 
great  High  Prieft.  It  is  the  general  orders  which  he 
gave  his  firft  apoftles,  and  left  for  the  inftruc'tion,  prac- 
tice and  comfort  of  all  their  fuccefTors,  to  the  end  of  the 
world.  In  the  verfe  which  precedes  my  text,  Chrift  in- 
forms us,  that  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth  is  giv- 
en unto  him.  His  words,  therefore,  are  clothed  with 
authority.  May  we  hear,  and  fear,  and  be  obedient. 
Where  the  word  of  a  king  is,  there  is  power;  and  who 
may  fay  unto  the  King  of  Zion,  What  doft  thou  ? 

So  far  as  we  be  Chriftians,  all  that  is  neceflary  to  en- 
force obedience  is,  to  know  what  Chrift  would  have  us 
to  do.  Perhaps  not  a  paftage  in  all  the  oracles*  of 
truth  contains  more  extenfive  inftruc'tion  than  do  the 
words  of  my  text.  The  commands  are  exceedingly 
broad  ;  the  Baptifmal  Inftitution  comprehends  all  obe- 
dient difciples  ;  and  the  comforting  promife  is  durable 
as  the  world. 

In  my  text,  Chrift  Jefus,  the  head  of  the  church  and 
Lord  of  all,  conftituted  his  prefent  and  fucceeding  difci- 
ples to  be  apoftles  unto  all  nations.  It  contains  their  com- 
miffion,  and  general  and  particular  orders.  In  it  they 
are  directed 

I.  To  go  and  difciple  all  nations. 

II.  To  baptize  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghoft. 

III.  He  directs  thefe  newly  conftituted  apoftles,  and 
all  their  fucceflbrs,  to  teach  their  baptized  difciples  to 
obferve  all  things. whatfoever  he  had  given  in  command- 
ment.. 

LaJIIy. 


[Serm.  I.]  of  baptism.  7 

La/lly.  For  their  encouragement  and  comfort,  he 
adds,  And,  lo,  I  am  with  you  ahvay,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world.    Amen. 

I  fuppofe  it  will  be  expedient,  and  with  me  it  is  an 
indifpenfable  duty,  that  I  lay  each  of  thefe  propofitions 
as  fairly  and  as  fully  before  you  as  I  can.  But  I  fhall 
not  obferve  the  order  in  which  they  lie  in  my  text, 
which  is  as  I  have  jufl  fiated  them.  For  I  have  many 
things  to  fay  unto  you,  in  agreement  with  my  text,  but 
fear  that  you  are  not,  all  of  you,  able  to  bear  them 
now.     We  fhall  therefore  begin  with  the 

II.  Which  contains  Chrift's  command  to  baptize,  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Ho* 
ly  Ghoft,  thofe  who  fhall  be  difcipled  of  all  nations. 

Nor  do  I  purpofe  to  call  your  attention,  at  this  time, 
to  the  whole  which  is  implied  in  this  propofition.  But 
what  I  purpofe  is,  to  define  a  few  words  which  apper- 
tain to  the  ordinance,  and  then  collect  the  fcripture  ac- 
count of  baptifm,  with  fome  other  texts,  which  may 
throw  light  upon  the  fubject.  Afterwards,  in  difcourf- 
es  which  may  follow,  I  may  produce  evidence,  that  my 
definition  of  baptifm  is  accurate  and  juit  ;  and  fiiowhow 
the  apoftles  and  primitive  Chriftians  underftood  this 
matter,  and  how  they  practifed.  When  this  is  done,  it 
will  be  eafily  feen,  what  is  the  outward  and  vifible  part 
of  baptifm  ;  and  then  the  purport,  end  and  defign  of  the 
inftitution  may  call  for  fome  attention. 

Before  I  proceed  to  open,  illuftrate  and  confirm  thefe 
particulars,  I  have  feveral  things  to  fay  unto  you.  For 
I  vvilh  you  to  attend  to  the  fubjecl  without  partiality 
and  without  hypocrify.  I  pray  God  to  remove  dark- 
nefs  and  all  prejudice  from  your  minds,  that  you  may, 
indeed,  come  to  the  law  and  to  the  testimony  of  Jefus 
Chrift  in  this  matter.  You 


8  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS       [SeiTn.I.J 

You  will  confider  me  as  under  the  ftrongeft  worldlv 
inducements  to  continue  to  believe  and  practife  as  I 
have  heretofore  done  ;  for  mould  I,  after  mature  confi- 
deration,  be  conftrained  to  believe  and  practife  differently, 
you  will  be  releafed  from  all  legal  obligations  to  afford 
me  any  farther  fupport  ;  my  relations  will,  the  moll  of 
them,  probably  be  greatly  fhocked,  and  difpleafed,  at 
the  report :  many,  whom  I  highly  value  as  Chriftians, 
and  numbers  of  them  zealous  preachers  of  the  goipel, 
will,  it  may  be,  confider  me  as  loft,  and  worfe  than  loft, 
to  the  church  and  world  :  and,  befides  this,  multitudes 
will,  no  doubt,  fay  all  manner  of  evil  againft  me.  All 
this  being  true,  with  a  thoufand  other  connected,  fmal- 
ler  evils,  and  nothing  of  a  worldly  nature  in  profpect, 
fave  what  is  contained  in  the  promife  of  Jefus  Chriir, 
you  cannot  but  conclude  that  I  fhall  -proceed  no  farther 
in  this  matter  than  I  am  obliged  to,  in  following  the 
Lamb  of  God  whitherfoever  he  goeih. 

Having  faid  thus  much  with  refpect  to  myfelf,  I  wiir 
ftill  add,  that,  mould  a  change  in  my  belief  and  practice, 
refpecting  the  fubject  on  hand,  bring  me  to  a  more  full 
belief  and  practice  of  the  truth,  I  fhall,  on  the  whole,  be  a 
gainer.  But,  mould  a  change  take  place,  and  I  be  cal- 
led to  fuftain  all  .the  evils  which  I  may  calculate  upon, 
and  after  all  be  plunged  myfelf  into  a  hurtful  and  bewil- 
dering error,  furely  all  the  meek  and  lowly  in  heart 
wTould  rather  commiferate  than  revile  me. 

Another  thing  I  would  mention  to  you,  fo  that  the 
fubject  may,  if  it  pofiibly  can,  meet  your  minds  without 
prejudice.  You  ought  not  to  fix  your  judgments,  nor 
found  your  belief,  upon  the  arguments,  or  confeiTions,  of 
great  and  good  men,  any  farther  than  fuch  arguments 

and 


[Serrrw  I.]  of  baptism.  9 

and  confeffions  are  conformed  with  the  fcriptures  of  tn 
Should  we  hearken  to  what  the  greateft  and  bed  of  men 
have  confeft  and  afHrmed  of  the  fubject  which  we  are 
about  to  confider,  and  have  our  belief  and  practice  corre- 
fpondihg  with  what  they  have  written,  the  matter  would, 
irioft  evidently,  go  againft  what  we  have,  in  time  pail, 
both  believed  and  practifed.  For  they  have  very  gene- 
rally, or  very  many  of  them,  if.not  all  of  them,  confer}, 
or  affirmed,  however  their  practice  may  have  been,  that 
rmmerfion  was  the  mode  pracVifed  by  the  apoftles  and 
primitive  c!  arch.  This  I  purpofe  to  prove  to  you  in 
its  proper  place. 

What  I  have  more  to  add,  before  I  proceed  to  the 
main  bufmefs,  is,  to  ftate  a  few  plain  truths. 

1.  Baptifm  is  a  pofitive  inflitution,  about  which  we 
can  know  nothing,  as  to  its  being  a  Chriflian  ordinance, 
but  from  what  Chrift,  and  thofe  infpired  by  his  Spirit, 
have  taught  us. 

2.  All  which  we  are  required  to  believe  and  practife, 
with  refpect  to  the  Chriftian  ordinance  of  baptifm,  is  de- 
clared to  us  by  Jefus  Chrift  and  his  forerunner  and  apof- 
tles. 

3.  When  Jefus  Chrift  fifft  inftituted  the  ordinance  of 
baptifm,  he,  no  doubt,  delivered  his  mind  fo  clearly  and 
fully  upon  the  fubjecl,  that  his  immediate  difciples  and 
apoftles  underftood  and  practifed  as  he  would  hare 
them. 

4.  Every  thing  which  hath,  by  the  precepts  and 
commandments  of  men,  been  added  fmce,  is  diftinct 
from  the  ordinance,  and  makes  no  part  of  it. 

5.  No  man,  or  body  of  men,  have  any  more  autho- 
rity to  add  to  this  ordinance,  or  todiminiihfrom  it,  than 

they  have  to  inftitute  a  new  one  and  call  it  Chrift's. 

6.     Whenever 


tQ  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS       [SeiTO.L]] 

6.  Whenever,  and  wherever,  this  ordinance  is  fo 
changed,  as  to  lofe  the  intent  of  the  Inftitutor,  then  and 
there  the  ordinance  is  loft,  and  becomes  no  Chriilian  or- 
dinance at  all. 

Having  laid  thefe  preparatory  obfervations,  remarks 
and  plain  truths  before  you,  we  proceed  to  confider  the 
fubjecl:  now  on  hand,  which  is — 

Chrift's  command  to  baptize,  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  thofe  who 
fhall  be  difcipled  of  all  nations. 

What  is  propofed  for  the  prefent  difcourfe  is — 

i.  To  define  a  few  words  which  appertain  to  the  or- 
dinance of  baptifm.     Then — 

2.  To  colled  the  fcripture  account  of  baptifm,  toge- 
ther with  fome  other  texts,  which  may  throw  light  upon 
the  fubjecl.  Afterwards,  in  fo^ic  following  difcourfes, 
we  may — 

3.  Produce  evidence,  that  my  definition  of  baptifm 
is  accurate  and  juft.     Then  fhow — 

4.  How  the  apoftles  and  primitive  church  underftood 
this  matter,  and  how  they  praclifed.  When  this  is  done, 
it  will  be  eafily  feen — 

5.  What  is  the  outward  and  vifible  part  of  Chriftian 
baptifm.     Then — 

Lajllyi  The  purport,  end  and  defign  of  the  baptifmal 
inftitution  may  call  for  our  attention. 

Agreeably  to  what  is  propofed,  we  are — 
1.     To  define  a  few  words  which  appertain  to  the  or- 
dinance of  baptifm.     Thefe  are — 

1.  Baptijhricn,  Greek  ;  baptijlertum  and  Javarum,  La- 
tin ;  a  font,  a  bath,  a  wafning  place,  a  velfel  to  waih  the 
body  in  ;  Engiifh. 

2.  Baptifma  zxAhaptifmos^  Greek  ;  Baptifma  and  Lotto, 

alfo 


!_Serm.  1.1  of  baptism.  i-i 

alfo,  ahluiia  fuura,  Latin  ;  baptifm,  wafting,  facred,  cere- 
monial wafting  ;  Englift. 

3.  Baptiftis,  Greek ;  baptijla%  Latin  ;  one  who  dips,  a 
baptift  ;   Englifli. 

4.  JBaptizo,  Greek  ;  haptizo,  mergo,  /avo,  Latin ;  to 
baptize,  to  dip  all  over,  to  waft  ;  Englift. 

5.  Louo,  Greek;  lava,  Latin;  to  waft,  to  rinfe,  to 
bathe ;  Englift. 

2.  We  are  to  collect  the  fcripture  account  of  baptifm, 
together  with  fome  other  texts  which  may  throw  light 
upon  the  fubject. 

We  will  begin  with  thofe  palTages  which  fpeak  of  the 
baptifm  of  John. 

1.  Mafth.  iii.  5,  6,  7.  Then  went  out  to  him 
Jerufalem,  and  all  Judea,  and  all  the  "region  round  about 
Jordan,  and  were  baptized  of  him  in  Jordan,  confeffing 
their  fins.  But  when  he  faw  many  of  the  Pharifees  and 
Sadducees  come  to  his  baptifm,  he  faid  unto  them,  O  ge- 
neration of  vipers,  &c. 

2.  Verfe  11.  I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water  un- 
to repentance,  Sec. 

3.  Verfes  13,  14,  r5,  16.  Then  cometh  Jefus  from  •  . 
Galilee  to  Jordan,  unto  John,  to  be  baptized  of  him  :  but 
John  forbade  him,  faying,  I  have  need  to  be  baptized  of 
thee,  and  corned  thou  to  me  ?  and  Jefus,  anfoering,  faid 
unto  him,  Suffer  it  to  be  fo  now,  for  thus  it  becometh  us 
to  fulfil  all  righteoufnefs :  then  he  fuffered  him.  And 
Jefus,  when  he  was  baptized,  went  up  ftraightway  out  of 
the  water. 

4.  Matth.  xxi.  25,  26,  27.  The  baptifm  of  John, 
whence  was  it,  from  heaven,  or  of  men  ?  And  they  rea- 
foned  with  themfelves,  faying,  If  we  ftould  fay  fromhea- 
ven,  he  will  fay  unto  us,  Why  did  ye  not  then  believe 


him.^ 


12  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS        [Serm.I.] 

him  ?  But,  if  wefhall  fay  of  men,  we  fear  the  people,  for 
all  hold  John  as  a  prophet.  And  they  anfwered  Jefns 
and  faid,  We  cannot  tell,  &c. 

5.  Mark  i.  4,  5.  John  did  baptize  in  the  wildernefs, 
and  preach  the  baptifm  of  repentance  for  the  remiffion 
of  fms.  And  there  went  out  unto  him  all  the  land  of 
Judea,  and  they  of  Jerufalem,  and  were  all  baptized  of 
him,  in  the  river  of  Jordan,  confefling  their  fms. 

6.  Verfes  8,  9,  10.  I  indeed  have  baptized  you  with 
water — And  it  came  to  pafs  in  thofe  days,  that  Jefus  came 
from  Nazareth  of  Galilee,  and  was  baptized  of  John  in 
Jordan,  and  flraightway  coming  up  out  of  the  water, 
*c. 

7.  Mark  xi.  30.  The  baptifm  of  John,  was  it  from 
heaven,  or  of  men  I 

8.  Luke  iii.  3.  And  he  came  into  all  the  country 
about  Jordan,  preaching  the  baptifm  of  repentance  for 
the  remiffion  of  fms . 

9.  Verfes  7,  S.  Then  faid  he  to  the  multitude  that 
came  forth  to  be  baptized  of  him,  O  generation  of  vipers 
-bring  forth  therefore  fruits  meet  for  repentance. 

10.  Verfe  12.  Then  came  alfo  publicans  to  be  bap- 
tized. 

11.  Verfe  16.     I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water. 

12.  Verfe  21.  Now  when  all  the  people  were  bap- 
tized, it  came  to  pafs  that  Jefus  alfo,  being  baptized9 
&c. 

13.  Luke  vii.  29,  30.    And  all  the  people  that  heard 

him,  and  the  publicans,  justified  God,  being    baptized 

with  the  baptifm  of  John.  But  the  Pharifees  and  lawyers 

rejected  the  counfel  of  God  againft  themfelves,  being  not 

baptized  of  him, 

14.  huh 


[Serin.  I.]  OF  baptism.  13 

14.  Luis  xx.  4.  The  baptifm  of  John,  was  it  from 
heaven,  or  of  men  ? 

15.  John  i.  25,  26.  Why  baptizeft  thou,  then,  if 
thou  be  not  that  Chrift,  nor  Elias,  neither  that  prophet  ? 
John  anfwered  them,  faying,  I  baptize  with  water. 

16.  Verfe2S.    Beyond  Jordan,  where  John  was  bap- 


/• 


Verfe  3 1.     That  he  fhould  be  made  manifeft  to 
Ifrael ;  therefore  am  I  come  baptizing  with  water. 
•  18.     VctCq  33.    He  that  fent  me  to  baptize  with  wa- 
ter. 

19.  John  iii.  23.  And  John  alfo  was  baptizing  in 
Enon,  near  to  Salim,  becaufe  there  was  much  water 
there  ;  and  they  came  and  were  baptized. 

20.  John  iv.  1.  The  Pharifees  had  h^ard  that 
Jefus  made  and  baptized  more  difciples  than  John. 

21.  John  x.  40.  Beyond  Jordan,  into  the  place 
where  John  at  firfl:  baptized. 

22.  Acls  i.  5.     John  truly  baptized  with  water. 

23.  Verfe  22.  Beginning  from  the  baptifm  of 
John. 

24.  Ads  x.  37.  After  the  baptifm  which  John 
preached. 

25.  Affs  xi.  16.     John  indeed  baptized  with  water. 

26.  ABs  xiii.  24.  When  John  had  firfl  preached, 
before  his  coming,  the  baptifm  of  repentance  to  all  the 
people. 

27.  Afts  xviil.  25.  He  (Apollos)  fpake  and  taught, 
diligently,  the  things  of  the  Lord,  knowing  only  the 
baptifm  of  John. 

2S.     Aas  xix.   3,  4.      Unto  what  then  were  ye  bap- 

tized  ?      And  they  faid,  Unto  John's  baptifm.      Then 

faid  Paul,  John  verily  baptized  with  the  baptifm  of  re- 

B  pent^ncej 


1.4  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS      [Serm.I.] 

pentance,  faying  unto  the  people,  that  they  fhould  be- 
lieve on  him  which  fhould  come  after  him,  that  is,  on 
Chrift  Jefus. 

We  will  next  turn  our  attention  to  thofe  texts  which 
mention  Chrift's  baptifm. 

i.  Matth.  xxviii.  19.  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all 
nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
cf  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghoft. 

2.  Mark  xvi.  15,  16.  And  he  faid  unto  them,  Go 
ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gofpel  to  every 
creature  :  he  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  fhall  be 
faved. 

3.  John  iii.  5.  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water,  and 
of  the  Spirit,  Sec. 

4.  Verfe  22.  After  thefe  things  came  Jefus  and  his 
difciples  into  the  land  of  Judea,  and  there  tarried  with 
them  and  baptized. 

5.  Verfe  26.  Behold  the  fame  baptizeth,  and  all 
men  come  to  him. 

6.  John  iv.  1,  2.  When  therefore  the  Lord  knew 
how  the  Pharifees  had  heard,  that  Jefus  made  and  baptiz- 
ed more  difciples  than  John,  (though  Jefus  himfelf  bap- 
tized not,  but  his  difciples.) 

7.  jifis  iii.  38.  Then  Peter  faid  unto  them,  Repent, 
and  be  baptized,  every  one  of  you,  in  the  name  of  Jefus 
.Chrift,  for  the  remiflion  of  fins,  and  ye  fhall  receive  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghoft. 

8.  dfis  ii.  41.  Then  they  that  gladly  received  his 
word  were  baptised, 

9.  Ads  viii.  12,13.  But  when  they  believed  Philip 
preaching  the  things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God, 
$nd  the  name  of  Jefus  Chrift,  they  were  baptized,  botfc 

men 


[Serrn.  L]  of  baptism.  i  £ 

men  and  women.  Then  Simon  himfelf  believed  alfo, 
and  when  he  was  baptized,  &c. 

10.  AS*  viii.  1 6.  Only  ihey  were  baptized  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jems. 

ii.  Verfes  36,  37,  38,  39.  And  as  they  went  on 
their  way,  they  came  unto  a  certain  water,  and  the 
eunuch  faid,  See,  here  is  water,  what  doth  hinder  me  to  be 
baptized  ?  And  Philip  faid,  If  thcu  believeft  with  all 
thine  heart,  thou  may  eft.  And  he  faid,  I  believe  that 
Jefus  Chrift-  is  the  Son  of  God.  And  he  commanded 
the  chariot  to  ftand  ftilL  And  they  went  down  both 
into  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the  eunuch,  and  he  baptiz- 
ed him.  And  when  they  were  come  up  out  of  the 
water,  Sec. 

12.  AS$  ix.  18.  And  he  (Saul)  arofe,  and  was  baptiz- 
ed. 

13.  ASs  x.  47,  48.  Can  any  man  forbid  water,  that 
thefe  mould  not  be  baptized,  which  have  received  the 
Holy  Ghoft  as  well  as  we  ?  and  he  commanded  them  to 
be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

14.  ilSi  xvi;  t£.  And  when  me  (Lydia)  was  bap- 
tized, and  her  houfehold. 

15.  Verfe  33.  And  was  baptized,  he  (the  jailor) 
and  all  his,  ftraightway. 

16.  A 3s  xviii.  8.  And  many  of  the  Corinthians, 
hearing,  believed  and  were  baptized. 

1 7.  Ads  xix.  f.  When  they  heard  this,  they  were 
baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jefus. 

18.  Acts  xxn.  ig.  And  now,  why  tarried  thou? 
arife  and  be  baptized,  and  warn  away  thy  fins,  calling  on 
the  name  of  the  Lord. 

19.  Rom.  vi.  3,  4.     Know  ye  not,  that  fo  many  of 
us  as  were  baptized  into   Chrift  Jefus,  were  baptized  in- 
to 


1 6  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS        [SermJ.] 

to  his  death  ?  Therefore  we  are  buried  with  him  by 
baptifm  into  death,  that,  like  as  Chrift  was  raifed  up 
from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  fo  we 
alfo  friould  walk  in  newnefs  of  life. 

2C.  i  Cor.  i.  13,  14,  15,  16,  17.  Were  ye  baptized 
in  the  name  of  Paul  ?  I  thank  God  that  I  baptized 
none  of  you  but  Crifpus  and  Gains  ;  left  any  fhould  fay 
that  I  had  baptized  in  mine  own  name.  And  1  baptiz- 
ed alfo  the  houfehold  of  Stephanas :  Befides,  1  know 
not  whether  I  baptized  any  other  ;  for  Chrift  fent  me 
not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the  gofpel. 

21.  1  Cor.  vi.  11.   But  ye  are  wafhed. 

22.  1  Cor.  12,  13.  For  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all  bap- 
tized into  one  body.* 

23.  1  Cor.  xv.  29.  Elfe  what  fhall  they  do  that  are 
baptized  for  the  dead? 

24.  Gal.  iii.  27.  For  as  many  of  you  as  have  been 
baptized  into  Chrift,  have  put  on  Chrift. 

25.  Eph.  iv.  5.     One  baptifm. 

26.  Eph.  v.  26.  That  he  might  fanc"?ify  and  cleanfe 
it  with  the  warning  of  water  by  the  word. 

27.  Col.  ii.  12.  Buried  with  him  in  baptifm,  where- 
in alfo  ye  are  rifen  with  him. 

28.  Titm  iii.  5.  According  to  his  mercy  he  faved 
us,  by  the  wafhing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the 
Holy  Ghoft. 

29.  Htb.  vi.  2.     The  doclrine  of  baptifms.f 

30.  Heb.  x.  22.  Our  bodies  warned  with  pure  wa- 
ter. 31.     I   Peter, 

*  This  intends,  asfomefuppofe,  the  baptifm  of  the  Holy  Ghoft. 

j  It  if  not  certain  that  this  hath  any  reference  to  Chriflian  bap- 
tifm. If  it  have,  it  maft  refer  not  to  that  only.  See  Doddridgs 
in  loc. 


[Serm.  I.]  of  baptism.  17 

31.  1  Peter,  m.  21.  The  like  figure  whereunto  even 
baptifm  doth  now  lave  us,  (not  the  putting  away  the 
filth  of  the  fidhf  but  the  anfvver  of  a  good  confeience  to- 
wards God,  by  the  refurrection  of  Jefus  Chrift.) 

Thefe,  I  believe,  are  all  the  texts  in  the  New  Teftament 
which  have  a  plain  and  obvious  reference  to  either  the 
baptifm  of  John,  or  of  Chrift.  They  afford  us  the  fum 
of  all  the  knowledge  which  we  can  have  of  either  the 
mode  or  fubjecls  of  Chriftian  baptifm,  What  thefe 
paffages  fay,  we  may  believe  :  what  they  do  not  counte- 
nance, we  may  not  believe.  I- will  now  fet  before  you 
thofe  paffages  where  wafhing  is  mentioned,  and  the 
Greek  words  which  are  ufed. 

1.  Matth,  vi.  j  7.  But  thou,  when  thou  fafteft, 
anoint  thy  head,  and  (nipfai)  wafh  thy  face. 

2.  Matth.  xv.  2.  Why  do  thy  difciples  tranfgrefs  the 
tradition  of  the  elders  ?  for  they  [niptontai)  wafh  not  their 
hands  when  they  eat  bread. 

3.  Matth.  xxvii.  24.  When  Pilate  faw  that  he 
could  prevail  nothing,  but  that  rather  a  tumult  was 
made,  he  took  water  and  {epan'tpfato)  wafhed  his  hands. 

4.  Mark  vii,  2,  And  when  they  faw  fome  of  his 
difciples  eat  bread  with  defiled,  that  is  to  fay  with  (anip- 
to'is)  unwafhen  hands.  • 

5.  Verfe  3.  For  the  Pharifees,  and  all  the  Jews, 
except  they  [nipsdntai)  wafh  their  hands  oft,  they  eat 
not,  &c. 

6.  Verfe  4.-  When  they  come  from  the  market,  ex- 
cept they  {baptltdntai)  wafh,  they  eat  not;  and  many 
other  things  there  be  which  they  have  received  to  hold, 
as  the  {baptlfmous)  wafhings  of  cups  and  pots,  brazen 
veffels,  and  of  tables. 

7.  Verfe  r.  But  eat  bread  with  (amptois)  unwafhen 
hands. 

B2  8;     Verfe  8, 


1 8  the  mode  and  subjects     [Serm.I.j 

ti.  Verfe  8.  For,  laying  afide  the  conrmandments 
of  God,  ye  hold  the  tradition  of  men,  as  the  [baptifmous) 
wafhing  of  pots  and  cups. 

9.  Luke  v.  2.  And  they  (epiplunan)  were  wafhing 
their  nets. 

ic.  Luke  vii.  38.  And  flood  at  his  feet,  behind  him, 
weeping,  and  began  (breckeln)  to  wafh  his  feet. 

11.  Verfe  44.  And  he  turned  to  the  woman,  and 
faid  unto  Simon,  Seed  thou  this  woman  ?  I  entered  into 
thine  houfe,  thou  gaveft  me  no  water  for  my  feet  ;  but 
fhe  (ebrexe)  hath  wained  my  feet  with  tears. 

12.  lule  xi.  38.  And  when  the  Pharifees  faw  it, 
that  he  had  not  firft  (ebapufthe)  wafhed  before  dinner. 

13.  John  it.  7.  And  laid  unto  him,  Go,  and  (mpfai) 
wafh  in  the  pool  of  Siloam  ; — he  went  his  way  therefore 
and  (nipftito)  wafhed, 

14.  Verfe  15.  Then  again  the  Pharifees  alfo  afked 
him  how  he  had  received  his  fight  :  he  faid  unto  them, 
He  put  clay  upon  mine  eyes,  and  I  (enipfamen)  wafhed 
and  do  fee. 

15.  John  xiil  5.  After  that  he  poured  water  into  a 
bafon,  and  began  (niptein)  to  warn  the  difciples*  feet. 

16.  Verfe  6.  And  Peter  faid  unto  him,  Lord,  dofl 
thou  (nlpteis)  warn  my  feet  ? 

17.  Verfe  8.  Peter-  faith  unto  him,  Thou  fhalt  never 
(nipfes)  wafn  my  feet.  Jefus  anfwered  him,  l{  I  (mpto) 
wafh  thee  not,   thou  haft  no  part  with  me. 

18.  Verfe  10.  Jefus  faith  to  him,  He  that  is  (khu- 
menos)  wafhed,  needeth  net  fave  (n'tpfajihei)  to  wafh  his 
feet,  Sec. 

19.  Verfe  14.  If  I  then,  your  Lord  and  mafter  (enip- 
fa)  have  wafhed  your  feet,  ye  alfo  ought  (niptelr)  to  wafu 

one  another's  feet. 

20.     Jffj 


'^Serin.  I.]  of  baptism.  19 

20.  Ads  ix.  37.  And  it  came  to  pafs  in  thofe  days, 
that  the  was  Tick  and  died,  whom  when  they  had  (loufan- 
tes)'  wafhed. 

21.  Atls  xvi.  33.  And  he  took  them,  the  fame  hour 
of  the  night,  and  (eloufen)  wafhed  their  (tripes. 

22.  Ads  xxii.  16.  And  now,  why  tarried  thou? 
arife  and  be  baptized,  and  (apoloufal)  wafh  away  thy  fins. 

23.  1  Cor.  vi.  11.  But  fuch  were  fome  of  you,  but 
ye  ( 'apehufajlhe ')  are  wafhed. 

24.  Eph.  v.  26.  That  he  might  fon&ify  and  cleanfe 
it  with  (loutrb)  the  wafhing  of  water  by  the  word. 

25.  iTim.v.  10.  If  fhe  (en'ipfin)  have  wafhed  the 
faints*  feet. 

26.  Titus  iii.  5.  By  the  (loutrou)  wafhing  of  rege- 
neration. 

27.  Heb.  ix.  10.  Which  flood  only  in  meats  and 
drinks,  and  (diaphcrcis  lapiifmois)  divers  wafhings. 

28.  Heb.  x.  22.  Having  our  bodies  (khumcnci)  wafh- 
ed with  pure  water. 

29.  2  Peter,  ii.  22.  But  it  is  happened  unto  them 
according  to  the  true  proverb — and  the  low  that  (loufa- 
mene)  was  wafhed,  &c. 

30.  Rev.  i.  5.  Unto  him  that  loved  us  and  (loufanil) 
wafhed  us  from  our  fins  in  his  own  blood. 

31.  Rev.  vii.  14.  Thefe  are  they  who  came  out  of 
great  tribulation,  and  (eplunan)  have  wafhed  their  robes 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.* 

Thofe  pafTages  which  make  mention  of  sprinkling, 
with  the  Greek  words  ufed,  now  call  for  your  atten- 
tion. 

1     Heb. 

*  Pluno  properly  fignxfies  to  <wajh  clothes  ;  as  lowo,  the  hi* 
dy  ;  end  nip  to,  the  face  and  hands. 


2Q  THE    MODE   AND  SUBJECTS        [SeriXl.L  j 

1.  Heb.  ix.  13.  For  if  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats, 
and  the  afhes  of  an  heifer  (rhantizoufa)  fprinkling  the  un- 
clean, &c. 

2.  Verfe  tq.  He  (Mofes)  took  the  blood  of  calves 
and  of  goats,  v%  ith  water,  and  fcarlet  wool  and  hyflbp, 
and  (errhantife)  fprinkled  both  the  book  and  all  the  peo- 
ple. 

3.  Heb.  x.  22.  Having  our  hearts  (errhantifmeroi) 
fprinkled  from  an  evil  confcience. 

4.  Heb.  xi.  28.  Through  faith  he  kept  the  paffover 
and  the  (profchufin)  fprinkling  of  blood. 

5.  Heb.  xu.  24.  And  to  theblood  of  (rhatitifmou) 
fprinkling. 

6.  1  Peter  i.  2.  And  to  the \rhantifmon)  fprinkling 
of  the  blood  of  Jefus  Chrift. 

Lqftly.  You  will  now  give  attention,  for  a  moment,  to 
thofe  paffages  of  fcripture  where  the  word  dip  is  men- 
tioned. 

1.  Luke  xvi.  24.  That  he  may  {bapse)  dip  his  finger 
in  water. 

2.  Matth.  xxvi.  23.  And  he  anfwered  and  faid,  He 
that   (embapfas)  dippeth  his  hand  with  me  in  the  dim. 

3.  Mark  xiv.  20.  And  he  anfwered  and  faid  unto 
them,  It  is  one  of  the  twelve,  that  [embaptommos)  dippeth 
with  me  in  the  difh. 

4.  John  xiii.  26.  And  he  anfwered,  He  it  is  to  whom 
I  mall  give  a  fop  when  I  have  {bap/as)  dipped  it ;  and 
when  he  had  (embapfas)  dipped  the  fop,  &c. 

5.  Rev.  xix.  13.  And  he  was  clothed  with  a  veflure 
(embammerwn)  dipped  in  blood. 

A  few  remarks  on  what  we  have  pa/Ted  over  will' 
elofe  the  prefent  difcourfe. 

1.     We  fee  that  all  the  words,  which  appertain  to  the 

ordinance 


[Serm.  I.]  of  baptism.  21 

ordinance  of  baptifm,  fignify  the  fame  which  they  would 
provided  immerfion  were  the  fcripture  mode. 

2.  We  fee  that  the  fubjecl  of  baptifm  is  very  repeat* 
edly  mentioned  in  the  New  Teftament.  It  is  brought 
to  view  exprefsly  in  about  threefcore  pafTages. 

3.  Whenever  baptifm  is  mentioned,  and  neither  the 
word  baptize,  nor  baptl/ynos,  is  ufed,  the  word  fubfr.ituted 
plainly  intimates  that  bathing,  or  wafhing  the  body  all 
over,  is  the  mode  ;  for  this  is  the  fignification  of  louo, 
which  is  the  word,  and  the  only  word,  which  the  fcrip- 
tures  employ  in  the  room  of  laptizo. 

4.  Whenever  baptize,  or  baptlfmot^  is  tranflated  wash- 
ing, a  ceremonial  and  not  a  common  wafhing  is  rr.anifsft- 
ly  intended. 

5.  We  find  that  in  all  the  places  where  fprinkling  is 
mentioned,  the  original  words,  rban/rtsd  and  profchufm,  are 
very  different  from  baptizo  and  baptlfmos. 

6.  You  will  pleafe  to  obferve,  that  wherever  we  rind, 
through  the  New  Teftament,  the  word,  to  dip,  it  is 
from  the  fame  theme  whence  baptizo  comes. 

7.  We  fee  that  every  thing  looks  as  though  immerfan 
might  be  the  mode  ;  and,  as  for  fprinkling,  there  is,  to  fay 
the  lead,  nothing  which  looks  like  it. 


C     **     ] 

THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS 

OF 

BAPTISM. 


SERMON    II. 


MATTHEW  XXVIII.  19,  20. 

Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptising  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghojl ;  teach- 
ing them  to  obferve  all  things  whatfoever  I  have  commanded 
you  :  And,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alivay,  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  world,     Amen. 

r-|""i  HE  bufinefs  which  we  are  now  upon  depends  very 
JL  much  upon  the  definitions  of  certain  words,  and 
principally  upon  the  definition  of  the  word  baptize,  and 
upon  the  certain  evidence  of  fuch  definition,  or  defini- 
tions, being  accurate  and  juft.  For  we  can  no  otherwife 
underdand  what  God  the  Lord  faith  unto  us,  than  by 
knowing  the  import  of  the  words  by  which  he  is  pleafed 
to  communicate  his  will.  The  Great  Teacher,  who 
came  from  God,  jiath  doubtlefs  communicated  his  mind 
fo  explicitly  that  the  humble  in  heart  may  know  the 
common  matters  which  relate  to  faith  and  practice.  If 
we  devoutly  fearch  the  fcriptures,  and  feek  wifdom  as 
filver,  and  fearch  for  her  as  for  hid  treafures,  God  will 
make  us  to  ivnderitand  knowledge,  and  to-  ferve  him 

with 


[Serm.  IL]  of  baptism,  23 

with  acceptable  practice.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  hath, 
moft  certainly,  chofen  acceptable  words,  words  of  defi- 
nite  meaning.  We  are  to  fearch  out  their  fignification, 
and  to  be  obedient.  I  cannot  judge  of  their  fignifica- 
tion for  yon,  nor  can  I  anfwer  for  the  judgment  which 
you  fnall  make  up,  nor  can  you  for  me. 

I  am,  by  my  office,  obliged  to  exhibit,  fo  far  as  I  can, 
all  thofe  divine  truths  which  relate  to  faith  and  prac- 
tice. I  am  obliged  to  believe  and  practife  according  to 
the  bed  light  which  I  can  gather,  or  have  in  any  way 
afforded  me.       You  are  under  fimilar  obligations. 

Whilft  we  proceed,  I  wifh  you  to  believe,  fully,  two 
things  ;  one  is,  that  truth,  if  believed  and  practifed,  will 
not,  on  the  whole,  harm  you.  The  other  is,  that  the 
mod  fure  way  to  acquire  truth  is,  to  be  of  a  humble  and 
obedient  mind,  ready  to  receive  the  truth.  For  God  re- 
fifteth  the  proud,  but  giveth  grace  to  the  humble. 

In  the  preceding  difcourfe,  we  attended  to  the  defini- 
tion of  certain  words  which  appertain  to  the  ordinance 
Gf  baptifm  ;  and  then  collected  the  fcripture  account  of 
baptifm,  together  with  fome  other  texts,  which  are  fup- 
pofed  to  throw  light  upon  the  fubject  under  confidera- 
tion.     In  this  difcourfe  we  are — 

3.  To  produce  the  more  direct  evidence,  that  my  de- 
finitions of  baptifm,  and  to  baptize,  are  accurate  and 
juft. 

The  definition,  which  I  gave  of  baptifm,  was,  a  wajh* 
trig,  a  /acred,  a  ceremonial  waflling.  I  will  now  add  to 
this  definition,  that  it  is  immerfion,  or  dipping  one  all 
ever  in  water. 

The  definition  which  I  gave  of  the  word  baptho  is,  to 
dip  all  over,  to  wafh.  I  wijtl  alfo  add,  that  the  word  figni- 
£es,  to  waft  the  body,  or  any  thing,  all  over.  What  I  mean 


24         the  mode  and  subjects     [Serm.IL] 

is,  that  thefe  are  the  fignification  of  the  words  baptifma 
and  baptizo,  which  are  rendered  baptifm  and  to  baptize, 

I  am  now  to  produce  evidence,  that  this  is  a  juft  and 
accurate  definition  of  the  words. 

You  will  obferve,  that  this  is  quite  different  from  the 
fubjecls  of  baptifm  ;    that  is  another   fubject,   which  mud 
be  attended  to  in  its  place. 

The  evidence  which  I  have  to  offer,  in  order  to  fix 
precifely  the  juft  fenfe  and  meaning  of  the  words  bapttfm 
and  to  baptize,  is  contained  in  the  following  facts.  The 

i  ft  Comprifes  what  the  Greek  Lexicon,  Concordance, 
and  two  Englifh  Dictionaries,  teftify  of  the  words. 

Schrevelius's  Lexicon  teftifies,  the  import  of  baptifm  is 
lotto i  wafhing.  Alfo  that  to  baptize  fignifies  to  ivafh,  to 
put  under  water,  or  under  any  other  liquid  thing  ;  to 
fink,  dip  in,  duck  or  plunge  over  head,  to  immerfe. 

Butterworth's  Concordance  fays,  baptifm  is  an  ordi- 
nance of  the  New  Teftament,  inftituted  by  Jefus  Chrift, 
■whereby  a  profefTed  believer  in  Chrift,  is  in  the  name  cf 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  im- 
merfed  in  and  covered  with  water,  and  then  raifed  up 
out  of  it,  as  a  fign  of  his  fellowship  with  Chrift  in  his 
death,  burial  and  refurrection,  and  a  fign  of  his  own 
death  to  fin,  and  refurrection  to  newnefs  of  life  here,  and 
to  life  eternal  hereafter.  The  fame  concordance  define? 
the  word  to  baptize,  thus — to  dip,  immerfe,  or  plunge. 

Entick's  dictionary  fays,  that — Baptifm  is  a  facrament 
that  admits  into  the  church. — Baptizer,  one  who  chrift- 
ens,  or  dips. — BaptiJIery,  the  place  of  baptizing  at,  a  font. 
— Baptize,  to  chriften,  plunge,  overwhelm.— Baptized, 
admitted  to  baptifm,  dipt,  &c. 

Bailey's  dictionary,  fpeaking  of  baptifm,  or  rather  the 
place  in  which  perfons  were  baptized,    fays,  Baptiflery  is 

either 


[Serin.  IL]  of  baptism.  25. 

cither  the  place,  or  veffel,  in  which  perfcms  are  baptized. 
In  ancient  times,  this  being  performed  by  immerfion, 
the  perfons  fo  initiated  went  into  a  river  and  were  plung- 
ed ;  but  in  the  time  of  Conftantine  the  Great,  chapels, 
or  places  on  purpofe  to  baptize  in,  were  built  in  great 
cities,  which  was  performed  in  the  eaftern  and  warmer 
countries  by  dipping  the  perfons ;  but  in  procefs  of  time, 
in  the  weftern  and  colder  countries,  fprinkling  was  fub- 
ftituted  in  place  of  dipping  ;  which  was  the  origin  of 
x>ur  fonts  in  churches. 

2.  I  will  repeat  fome  of  the  attendant  or  circumftan- 
tial  facts,  which  have  relation  to  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tifm,  that  you  may  look  at  them,  and  judge  for  your- 
felves,  whether  the  preceding  definitions  appear  juft. 

John  baptized  in  the  river  Jordan. 

He  was  baptizing  in  Enon  becaufe  there  was  much 
water  there. 

The  name  of  the  place,  where  baptifm  was  adminifter- 
ed,  is  baptifterion,  or  baptijlery>  which  fignifies  a  place  in 
which  to  wafh  the  body  all  over. 

Baptifm  fignifies  to  dip,  plunge,  immerfe,  or  warn  the 
body  all  over  in  water. 

Baptizer  fignifies  one  who  dips,  plunges,  or  wafftes 
the  body  all  over  in  water. 

To  baptize  fignifies  to  plunge  under  water,  to  dip,  or 
to  wafh  the  body  all  over. 

To  be  baptized  is  to  be  plunged,  immerfed,  or  warned 
all  over  in  water. 

Does  this  whole  matter,  taking  fo  many  of  the  words, 
and  fome  circumftances,  and  finding  them  all  fo  well 
agreeing  together,  help  you,  in  any  degree,  to  the  defini- 
tion of  the  word  baptize?  Suppofing  thefe  things  be  facts, 
and  you  bad  never  had  any  prejudice  for,  oragainft,  the 
C  word 


2(5  THE   MODE  AK D   SUBJECTS       [Scrm.II.] 

word  baptize,  would  j  6u  be  able  to  gather  the  me.anir.g 
of  it  from  what  hath  been  faid  ? 

There  is  an  objection  darting  in  the  minds  of  feme  of 
you,  which  fhonld  be  now  obviated,  left  it  prejudice  your 
minds  from  the  truth. 

The  objection  is,  Do  not  the  words  fignify  feme  ether 
things,  as  well  as  thofe  which  have  been  mentioned  ? 

Anf.  I  have  thought  they  did  :  but  I  have  fearched 
in  ieveral  dictionaries,  and  read  many  authors  upon  the 
words,  yet  have  not  found  one  dictionary  which  has  giv- 
en a  definition  of  the  words  different  from  what  I  have 
given  ;  nor  one  author  who  has  been  able  to  mow,  that 
the  true  meaning  of  the  words  is  any  otherwife  than 
what  I  1  ave  mentioned.  Befides,  the  very  couife  of  ar- 
gumentation which  Dr.  Lathrop,  Mr.  Cleavlland  and 
others  have  taken,  by  which  to  prove  that  lapfizo  hath 
fome  other  fignincation  than  to  dip,  immerfe,  to  bury  or 
overwhelm,  is  an  implicit  confeffion  that  they  were  not 
abie  to  prove  any  fuch  thing.  It  is  alfo  a  ftrong  pre- 
fumptive  argument,  that  no  different  figniacation  can  be 
found. 

Their  argument  is  this :  Bapto  figuifes,  in  one  inftance, 
j  a  the  Old  Teftamenl,  to  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven. 
Baptizo  is  the  offspring  of  bapto,  and  confequently  may 
be  taken  in  the  fame  ienfe.  This  -  argument  is  of  the 
fame  weight  with  the  following  :  My  father  believes  in 
fprinkling,  as  being  baptifm  ;  I  am  his  offspring,  and 
confequently  I  believe  the  fame  ;  when  the  fact  is,  J  am 
largely  convinced  that  it  is  no  fuch  thing.  Would  gen- 
tlemen employ  fuch  an  argument,  did  not  their  caufe  la- 
bour ?  Such  an  argument,  when  it  ftands,  as  it  does, 
at  the  front  of  all  their  fuppofed  evidence,  is  an  implicit 

confeffioa 


[Serm.  II.]  or  baptism.  27 

cosfeffioft  that  they  cannot  prove  what  they'wifu  to.* 
Thia   matter  will   have  farther  attention  in  anjothei 
place. 

3.  The  words  baptifnws  and  baptize  have  two,  and  on- 
ly two.  tranflations,  in  the  New  TeftamentS  Thefe  two 
are,  baptifm  and  wqfbing.  They  are  very  generally  render- 
ed baptifm,  or  tc  baptize.  This  is  their  ufual  translation. 
But  feveral  times  in  Mark,  Luke,  and  in  the  Epiftle  to 
the  Hebrews,  they  are  rendered  wafiiing.  As  the  walk- 
ing 

*  Since  writing  the  above,  I  have  w/  with  Cole's  Latin 
Dictionary,  wVich  gives  one  Enghjb  of  baptifo,  to  fprinkle. 
/;  bash,  indeed,  ken  matter  of  no  little  furprife,  that  all  modem 
dictionary  compilers  have  not  given  on?  definition  of  the  word 
:,  to  fprinkle  ;  ferity  indeed,  is  onefignification,  which  ih: 
praSice  of  many  Cbrijlians,  for  two  or  three  hundred- years 
py},  has  given   to  the  word. 

Had  all  lexicons,  and  all  dictionaries,  for  the  two  la/I  centu- 
ries, born?  united  iejliatony,  thai  on:  fenfe  of  the  wrrd  bapthi  0 
wis  to  fprinkle,  it  would  not  have  been  halffo  unaccountable  as 
it  now  is  that  they  have  fo  generally  retained  the  ancient  and 
primitive fignifications\  end  refufd  to  adopt  the  modi  m  cne,wl  ich 
prejudice,  convenience  and  modern  practice  have  given  to  it.  In- 
deed, could  a  thouf.ind  modern  lexicons  and  dictionaries  he  found, 
which  fibould fay ,  to  fprinkle  is  on  e  ferfe  in'which  baptizo  is 
tifed,  it  would  all  come  to  nothing,  unlefs  they  Jhould  tejlify  that 
this  is  one  of  iis  ancient  and  primitive  Jignificat ions  :  and  even 
then,  it  would  come  to  no  more  than  this,  that  the  i-o:rd  is  lefs 
determinate,  thm  it  is  now  fuppnfed  to  be.  Could  they  do  this, 
it  would  he  ftill  nothing,  unlefs  they  prove  the  fcriptures  ufe  it  in 
this  fenfe,  which  they  cannot  do.  But  if  they  could,  it  W^uld 
not  be  fully  to  their  point,  unlefi  they  can  f"OW,  that  it  is  thus 
vfed  in  application  to  the  ordinance. 


28  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS       [Serm.Il.j 

ing  of  pots,  and  cups  and  brazen  vefTels  and  tables,  o? 
feats  on  which  they  reclined,  when  they  ate  meat ;  and 
diaphorcis  baptifmois  in  Hebrew  is  rendered,  divers  ivajh- 
ings. 

In  the  law  given  by  Mofes,  the  people  were,  on  many 
cccafions,  to  bathe  their  bodies,  and  wafh  their  cWhes 
in  water  ;  and  alfo  to  put  their  pots  and  cups  and  brazen 
vellels  into  water,  that  they  might  be  cleanfed  from  ce- 
remonial uncleannefs.  To  thefe  legal  ceremonies  the 
Fharifees  had  added  traditional  ones,  which  were,  no 
doubt,  obferved  in  the  fame  manner  as  thofe  appointed 
by  the  Lord.  If  fo,  then  the  warning  of  pots,  &c.  in 
Mori,  was  putting  them  into  water,  as  the  command 
was  to  do,  Levit.  xi.  32.  The  divers  warnings  in  Heb. 
ix.  10,  were  ceremonial  warnings,  or  bathings,  in  which 
the  body  was  warned,  or  dipped.  Numb,  xix.  1 9.  This 
being  the  cafe,  does  not  this  matter  go  to  confirm,  or  de- 
termine, what  is  the  definition  of  baptifm  ? 

4.  We  will  now  mention  a  few  noted  witne/Tes,  who 
have  given  their  teftimony  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  word 
laptizo. 

Calvin,  a  very  warm  oppofer  of  the  Baptifls,  fhall,  as  a 
witnefs  in  this  caufe,  fpeak  rirfr.  His  teftimony  is, 
"  Howbeit,  the  very  word  of  baptizing  fignifieth  to 
dip." 

Zanchius,  as  brought  forward  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  But- 
terworth,  fhall  be  my  next  witnefs.  He  fays,  baptizo  is 
to  immerfe,  plunge  under,  to  overwhelm  in  water. 

I  could  quote,  or  bring  forward,  a  multitude  of  wit- 
ne/Tes, and  all  from  our  own  order,  the  Paedobaptifts,  to 
prove  the  fame  point.  But  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three 
witnefles,  if  they  be  good  ones,  every  word  mall  be  eflab- 
Jjfhed>     We  will  therefore  produce  but  one  more  ;  that 

fhall 


[Sorm.  II.]  of  baptism.  29 

mall  be  good  Dr.  Owen.  "  For  the  original  and  natural 
fignification  of  it  (uptizo)  it  llgnifies  to  dip,  to 
plunge."* 

5.  I  will  mention  to  you  a  Greek  word,  which 
Paul  repeatedly  ufes,  as  fignifying  the  fame  thing  as 
bapt'ixo,  and  where  he  means  the  fame  thing,  namely, 
baptifm. 

In  1  Cor.  vi.  11,  Paul,  fpeaking  to  the  Corinthians  of 
divers  kinds  of  vile  fmners,  fays,  "And  fuch  were  fome 
of  you  ;  but  ye  are  suq/hed,"  .Sec. 

Eph.  v.  26.  That  he  might  fanclify  and  cleanfe  it 
(the  church)  with  the  iva/IAng  of  water,  by  the  word. 

Hc-b.  x.  22.  Let  us  draw  near,  with  a  true  heart,  in 
full  aim  ranee  of  faith,  having  our  hearts  fprinkled  from 
an  evil  confeience,  and  our  bodies  ivojlosd  -with  pure  wa- 
ter. 

The  Psdobaptifts  acknowledge  that  <zva/h'mg,  in  thefe 
texts,  means  baptifm^  and  I  know  not  that  any  of  them  de- 
ny it.  Baptifm  and  wafliing  appear  to  be  ufed  as  fyno- 
nymous  words,  or  as  words  fignifying  the  fame  thing. 
If  this  be  the  cafe,  then  the  two  words,  baptizo  and  louo> 
which  are  tranflated,  one  to  baptize,  and  the  other  to 
waih,  mean  the  fame  thing,  and  are  thus  intended  by  the 
Apoftle.  Then,  provided  we  can  determine  what/oz/5 
means,  we  can  alfo  determine  what  is  the  fignification  oi 
baptised.  This  word,  Iouo>  fignihes  to  wafli,  and  to  bathe 
the  body  in  water,  for  thus  it  is  generally,  if  not  univer- 
fally,  ufed,  and  from  it  is  hutrcn,  a  bath,  or  place  to  wafh 
the  body  in.  Befides,  the  word  hud  is  never  ufed  in  the 
New  Teftament,  nor  any  where  elfe,  to  my  knowledge, 
to  fignify  either  fprinkling  or  common  wafhing.  Its  ap- 
propriate' 
C  2 
*  Ariciznt  Dialogue, 


30  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS      [Serm.II.j 

propriate  fenfe  appears  to  be,  bathing,  or  wafhing,  any- 
thing all  over  ;  as  you  may  fee,  Ads  ix.  37,  and  xvi.  33; 
2  Peter  ii.  22  ;  which  are  the  only  places  where  I  recol- 
lect the  word  loud  is  ufed,  fave  where  the  ordinance  of 
baptifm  appears  to  be  referred  to.  This  being  the  cafe, 
the  matter  appears  juft  as  it  would,  provided  the  ordi- 
nance included  the  bathing  of  the  body  in  water.  This 
is  letting  fcripture  interpret  itfelf :  and  the  interpretation 
which  it  gives  is,  baptifm  is  bathing,  or  walhing  the  bo- 
dy in  water.  This,  therefore,  may  help  you  a  little  to- 
wards determining  in  your  minds  what  is  the  fignifica- 
tion  of  laptizo.  For  loud  is  repeatedly  ufed  in  fcripture, 
as  importing  the  fame  mode  of  wafhing  which  is  com- 
manded in  the  ordinance  of  baptifm. 

6.  Paul's  defcription  of  the  mode  of  baptizing,  or  of 
what  is  done  to  thofe  who  are  baptized,  may  afford  you 
farther  light  upon  the  fubject. 

Paul  brings  this  matter  up  to  the  Roman  and  Colof- 
fian  Chriftians,  as  a  matter  well  known  to  them.  To 
the  former  he  fays,  Rom.  vi.  4.  Therefore  we  are  bu- 
ried with  him  by  baptifm  into  death,  that  like  as  Chrift 
was  raifed  up  from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father, 
even  fo  we  alfo  fhould  walk  in  newnefs  of  life.  To  the 
other  he  fays,  Col.  ii  1 2,  Buried  with  him  in  baptifm, 
wherein  alfo  ye  are  rifen  with  him,  through  the  faith  of 
the  operation  of  God,  who  hath  raifed  him  from  the 
dead. 

Upon  thefe  texts,  Dr.  Doddridge  has  the  following 

note.     "  It  feems  the  part  of  candour  to  confefs,  that 

here  is  an  allufion  to  baptifm  by   immeifion,  as  moft 

ufual  in   thefe  early  times."       Here  the  good  doftor 

fays,  "  as  was  mofl  ufual:'9  this  I  fhallrby  and  by,  explain 

to  you. 

In 


[Serm.  II.]  of  baptism.  31 

In  the  mean  time,  you  will  pleafe  to  pay  due  atten- 
tion to  what  was  done  to  thofe  who  were  baptized,  and 
which  appears  to  be  familiar  to  the  Roman  and  Colof- 
fian  Chriftians.  The  Apoftle  makes  no  remarks,  and  ex- 
plains nothing  to  them,  but  fpeaks  to  them  as  though 
they  would  and  did  well  underftand  what  he  meant, 
when  he  faid,  "  We  are  buried  with  him  by  baptifm  in- 
to death  ;"  and,  "  Buried  with  him  in  baptifm. "  It  is 
plain  fact,  that  Paul  thus  fpeaks,  and  it  alfo  appears,  ve- 
ry plainly,  that  he  had  no  apprehenfion  but  that  he 
fhould  be  underftood. 

Bifhop  Hoadly's  declaration  appears  to  be  much  in 
point :  '  If  baptifm/  fays  he,  *  had  been  then,'  i.  e.  in 
the  apoltles'  days,  'performed  as  it  is  now  among  us, 
we  fhould  never  have  To  much  as  heard  of  this  form  of 
expreffion,  of  dying  and  rifing  again  in  this  rite.'* 

Thefe  things  I  have  thought  it  my  duty  fo  lay  before 
you,  that  I  might  afllft  you,  by  a  number  of  plain  facts, 
to  form  a  judgment,  each  one  for  himfelf,  what  the 
meaning  of  baptifm  is,  and  what  the  word  to  baptize  £\g- 
nifies. 

I  have  ftill  more  light  upon  this  fubject,  and  mall, 
in  the  next  difcourfe,  lay  it  within  your  view.  It  will 
perhaps  be,  to  fome  of  you,  more  convincing  than  any 
thing  which  I  have  as  yet  exhibited.  But  previoufly  I 
will  make  one  obfervation,  and  it  is  this :  all  the  evi- 
dence which  we  have  been  exhibiting,  we  have  on  one 
fide  of  the  queftion  ;  and,  if  I  miftake  not,  none  on  the 
other  to  counteract  it :  for,  if  my  memory  and  judg- 
ment be  correct,  the  wifeft  and  bed  of  men,  of  our  own 
denomination,  have  afTerted,  that  thefe  things  are  (0.     I 

do 

*  Ten  Letters. 


32  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS      [Serm.II.] 

do  not  fay  that  all  good  men  have  ;  but  the  mod  learn- 
ed have,  and  fome  who  have  appeared  very  pious. 

Bat  you  will  fay,  Why  have  they  not  practifed  differ- 
ently, if  they  have  thus  believed  ?  I  am  not  anfwerable 
for  their  practice  ;  but,  if  the  Lord  will,  I  fhall,  ere  long, 
give  you  the  reafons  which  they  affign. 

I  fhall  only  add,  for  the  prefent,  two  or  three  confe- 
quences,  and  then  leave  the  fubject  for  your  confidera- 
tion. 

i.  The  Baptifls  lv<ve,  againfl  our  practice,  and  for 
theirs,  that  kind  of  evidence  which  is,  perhaps,  in  all  ca- 
fes but  the  prefent,  confidered  the  moil  unequivocal  and 
certain.  This  evidence  is  given  in  by  a  cloud  of  witnef- 
fes,  who,  whilft  they  are  bearing  their  teftimony,  con- 
demn themfelves  every  fentence  they  utter.  If  thefe 
men,  who  are  confeft  by  both  fides  to  be  both  pious  and 
learned,  may  be  believed,  the  caufe  will  mod  certainly 
be  determined  againfl:  us  ;  for  there  was  never  a  clearer 
cafe.  They  unitedly  teftify  that  the  fcripture  mode  of 
baptifm  is  immerfioii,  but  omit  the  praclice.  In  this  they 
condemn  themfelves. 

2.  The  fcripture  fenfe,  and,  for  aught  appears,  the 
only  fenfe,  of  baptifm,  is,  dipping,  immeriion,  burying 
in  water,  being  overwhelmed,  and  the  like. 

3.  We  are  brought  to  this  dilemma,  either  to  com- 
mence Baptifts,  as  to  the  mode,  or  do  as  our  fathers 
have  done,  confefs  the  truth  in  theory,  and  neglect  it  in 
praclice. 


[    33   2 

!!■■  ■■■-  ■  jgsSSStBSSSSBSSBSSSSSSSi. '  '•"*"'' 

THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS 

OF 

BAPTISM. 

SERMON    III. 


MATTHEW  XXVIII.  19,  20. 

Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  a!!  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghof  ;  teach- 
ing them  to  olferve  all  things  whatfoever  I  have  commanded 
you  :  And,  la,  I  am  'with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  world.     Amen. 

MEN,  brethren,  and  fathers,  we  are  ftill  upon  a  ve- 
ry important  fubjecT: — a  fubject  which  highly 
concerns  us  as  Chriftians — a  fubject  in  which  our  feel- 
ings, our  reputation,  and  our  peace  too,  may  not  be  a 
little  concerned.  Many  things,  not  to  fay  every  thing, 
call  upon  us  not  to  go  too  fall ;  and,  at  the  fame  time, 
obedience  to  our  common  Lord  forbids  all  backward- 
nefs,  in  purfuing  where  his  truth  and  Spirit  lead  us. 

All  which  I  requeft  of  you  is,  with  candour  hear, 
with  readinefs  obey,  what  truth  (hall  dictate. 

Should  we,  after  long  and  ferious  deliberation,  be 
obliged  to  believe  and  practife  differently  from  what  we 
hare  heretofore  done,  we  fhall  be  much  expofed  to  two 
things :  one  is,  to  be  reviled  ;    the  other,  to  revile  again. 

What, 


34        the  mode  and  s'.jejects     [Serm.III.j 

What  we  fhall  need  is,  patience  to  bear  the  one,  an5 
grace  that  \vc  may  avoid  the  other. 

Perhaps  human  nature  is  more!  inclined  to  nothing 
than  to  an  overbearing  fpii  it.  It  is  perfectly  confonant 
with  human  nature  to  make  ourfelves,  and  not  the  fcrip- 
ttrres,  the  ftandard  of  both  faith  and  practice.  The  na- 
tural confequence  of  this  is  cenfure  againft  all  who  dare 
to  think,  or  act,  as  we  do  not.  To  guard  you  again  ft  un- 
reafonable  and  common  prejudice,  I  will,  for  your  confe- 
deration, fuggeel  a  thought,  which  we  may  do  well  to 
remember;  and  it  is  this  :  many,  who  (hall  believe  and 
practife  as  we  have  long  done,  may  be  as  hone  ft  and 
faithful  as  we  then  were.  This  being  true,  the  follow- 
ing confequence  is  plain,  that  the  line  of  conduct  which 
the  Bap  tills  ought  to  have  praclifed,  in  months  and  years 
part,  towards  us,  the  fame,  if  we  be  Baptifts,  will  it  be- 
come us  to  purfue  with  relation  to  others.  It  requires 
not  much  forefight  to  difcover,  that  we  fhall  need  much 
of  that  wifdom  which  is  profitable  to  direct. 

"Whilit  it  may  be  indifpenfable  with  us  to  fife  every 
prudent  mean  lo  diffufc  that  light  which  God  may  gra- 
cioufly  afford  us,  it  will  be  our  wifdom  to  do  every  thing 
in  fuch  a  manner  as  not  to  heighten,  but,  if  poffible,  to 
lower,  the  prejudices  of  good  people. 

Whilft  you,  my  dear  friends  and  people,  know  that 
light  chafeth  away  the  darknefs,  and  that  truth  will  ul- 
timately prevail  again  ft  every  error  :  I  folicit  your  can- 
dour and  prayerful  attention,  that  error  may  not  be  re- 
tained, or  prevail  againft  any  of  us,  to  our  wounding. 

Our  attention  hath  already  been  called  to  the  defini- 
tion of  a  number  of  words,  which  relate  to  the  ordinance 
of  baptifm,  to  the  fcripture  account  of  baptilm,  together 
with  fome  other  texts,  which  were  fuppofed  to  throw 

light. 


TSerm.  III.]  of  baptism.  75 

light  upon  the  fubjetf,  and  alio  to  fome  evidence  in  ftfp- 
port  of  the  given  definitions.  As  the  great  queition 
upon  what  is  commanded,  and  as  thai  cannot  be  other- 
v\  ilc  known  than  by  making  fuie  the  import  of  the  words 
ufed,  we  ih-all  therefoie  fearch  for  additional  light  and 
certainty,  by  inquiring — 

4.  How  the  apoftles  and  primitive  Chriftians  under- 
stood this  matter,  and  how  they  prac?ifed. 

If  this  can  be  made  plain,  then,  perhapr,  your  mind 
will  befui^rled,  and  your  judgments  made  up. 

I  proceed  to  lay  the  evidence  before  you. 

There  appears  no  neceffity  of  fnending  time  to  pro- 
duce  evidence  that  the  apoftles  underftood  the  matter  to 
be  as  I  have  proved  to  you  that  it  was  :  for  they,  no 
doubt,  underitood  the  words  which  Chrift  fpake,  and  the 
commands  which  he  gave  ;  befides,  if  the  apoftles  and 
primitive  church  pracYifed  thus,  it  is  evident  that  they  thus 
under  dood  it  ;  ior  doubtlefs  they,  efpecially  the  apoftlas, 
were  honeft  men,  and  praclifed  as  they  underlie od  Te- 
fus  Chrift  to  have  directed  them. 

I  will  here  make  two  obfervations  to  you  ;  and  I  wifa 
you  to  remember  them. 

The  fir  ft  is,  no  perfon  fhould,  efpecially  in  important 
matters,  make  up  his  judgment,  that  any  particular  fub* 
ject  is  true,  till  he  has  evidence  of  its  truth. 

The  other  is,  the  bell:  proof  which  the  nature  of  any 
cafe  admits  of,  may  and  ought  to  be  confidered  as  evi- 
dence, and  fo  received  by  Us?  as  to  thofe  things  we  are 
called  to  believe  and  practife. 

There  are  different  degrees  of  evidence  :  the  higheft 
kind  produces  knowledge.  When  the  evidence  is  fmall, 
it  produces  a  weak  and  dubious  belief.  But  where  it  is 
filch  that,  on  fuppoikion  the  thing  be  true,  the  evidence 

COUid 


2,6  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS     [SeriTl.III.] 

«ouid  not  be  greater  than  it  is,  there  we  are  obliged  to 
yield  our  affent,  and  we  do  violence  to  our  reafon  if  we 
will  not  believe. 

The  evidence,  which  we  have  with  refpecl  to  the  prac- 
tice of  the  apoftles  in  the  matter  of  baptizing,  differs  in 
degree,  and,  in  forae  meafure,  in  kind,  from  the  evidence 
which  we  have  refpecling  the  praclice  of  the  church  in 
later  ages  as  to  the  fame  matter.  But  if  we  have,  with 
refpecl  to  the  praclice  of  bo^h,  the  beft  evidence  which 
the  different  cafes  admit  of,  we  are  under  obligation  to 
believe  the  evidence  good,  and  the  facls  true  which  are 
fupported  by  it. 

We  have  much  the  fame  kind  of  evidence  with  refpecl 
to  the  praclice  of  the  apoftles,  which  we  have  as  to  the 
praclice  of  the  church  for  many  ages  after  them.  Mr, 
Baxter,  bifhop  Hoadly,  and  others,  teftify,  that  the 
apoftolic  praclice  was,  immerfion.  We  have,  more- 
over, as  to  their  praclice,  a  much  higher  kind  of  evi- 
dence. In  fupport  of  their  praclice,  I  fball  produce  the 
beft  kind  of  evidence,  and  afterwards,  whilft  fpeakingof 
the  praclice  of  the  church  in  fucceeding  ages,  may  oc- 
cafionally  bring  forward  fome  of  the  other  kind  of  evi- 
dence, in  fupport  of  the  apoftles*  praclice. 

As  to  the  praclice  of  the  apoftles,  in  the  adminiftration 
of  baptifm,  I  obferve,  we  have  in  the  fcriptures  four  dif- 
tinclfources  of  evidence.     The 

lft  Is  this.  When  baptifm  is  mentioned  by  the  difci- 
ples  and  apoftles,  and  the  common  word  is  not  ufed, 
they  uniformly  employ  one  particular  word,  and  this 
word  is  of  very  determinate  fignification,  and  expreffes 
the  bathing,  or  wafhing,  of  the  body  in  water,  as  Heb.  x. 
22  :  Having  our  bodies  (klcumenoi)  ivajbed  with  pure 
water,     Ads  xxii.  16.     A  rife  and  be  baptized,  and  {apo- 

loufa'i) 


[Serm.IIL]  of  baptism.  yj 

loufa'i)  wafh  away  thy  fins.  f  Cor.  vi.  II.  But  ye  arc 
(ppoloufaftbe)  wafied.  By  the  determinate  fignification  of 
this  word,  their  practice  appears  to  be  immeriion. 

2.  The  apoftles  were  commanded  to  dip,  immerfe  or 
plunge  all  over  in  water  the  perfons  whom  they  admitted 
to  this  ordinance.  This  is  evident  from  the  determinate 
fignification  of  the  word  to  baptize.  Says  the  command, 
Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them, 
&c.  We  have  before  proved  what  is  the  ilgnification  of 
this  word,  and  confequently  what  Chrift  commanded  his 
difciples,  when  he  fent  them  to  baptize. 

I  do  not  now  fay  that  the  apoftles  immerfed  any  ;  but 
this  is  what  I  fay,  they  were  commanded  thus  to  do.  I 
leave  it  for  you  to  determine,  whether  they  did,  or  whe- 
ther they  did  not. 

3.  I  obferve  to  you,  that  the  New  Teftament,  wher- 
ever it  fpeaks  of  the  apoftles  baptizing  any,  fays  they  im- 
merfed them,  or  dipt  them  all  over  in  water.  For  this 
is  the  plain,  literal  and  common,  if  not  the  only,  fignifica- 
tion  of  the  word.  I  ftill  leave  it  with  you  to  determine 
whether  the  apoftles  did,  or  did  not,  praclife  thus. 

Left  fome  of  you  may  have  forgotten  what  1  have  be- 
fore proved  to  you,  and  confequently  entertain  fome 
doubt,  whether  baptifm  may  not  fometimes  fignify  the 
application  of  water  in  a  different  way  ;  we  will  make 
two  or  three  obfervations. 

1.  The  plain,  literal  and  common  fignification  of 
the  word  is  to  immerfe,  overwhelm,  dip,  or  to  plunge  all 
over. 

2.  There  appears  to  be  no  evidence,  that  it  is  ever 
ufed,  fo  much  as  once,  in  any  part  of  the  Bible,  to  fignify 
the  application  of  water  in  any  other  fenfe.  Even  in 
thofe  paflages  where  I  have,  in  time  paft,  fuppofed  that 

D  the 


38  THE  MODE   AND  SUBJECTS     [SenTi-III.] 

the  meaning  might  be,  and  probably  was,  wa/Binr,  with- 
out immerfion,  the  fenfe  appears  *o  be,  putting  into  wa- 
ter or  immerfion,  and  not  what  hr$  commonly  tmder- 
ftand  by  the  word  warning.  Of  this  yon  may  be  convinc- 
ed, by  ccnfidering  the  treatment  to  which  fhe  Jews  were 
accuftomed  with  refpeet  to  thofe  veflels  which  were  cere- 
monially unclean.  They  were  to  baptize  them,  or  put 
them  into  water,  as  you  may  fee,  Lcvii.  xi.  32  :  "  And 
upon  whatfoever  any  of  them,  when  they  are  dead,  doth 
fall,  it  (hall  be  unclean  ;  whether  it  be  any  veffel  of  wood, 
or  raiment,  or  ikin,  cr  facfc  ;  ivkatfoever  vefciithe,  where- 
in any  work  is  done,  it  mull  he  put  into  water,  and  it  fhall 
be  unclean  until  the  even  ;  fo  it  fhall  be  cleanfed." 

3.  I  will  obftrve  to  you,  that  it  would,  moft  vifibly, 
:be  a  reflexion  upon  the  Great  Teacher,  who  came  from 
God,  to  fuppofe  that  he  mould,  when  appointing  a  pofi- 
tiye  inftitution,  ufe  words  afide  from  their  plain  and 
commonly  received  fenfe,  that  too  without  giving  any 
intimation  of  his  ufing  the  words  in  any  fenfe  differing 
izom  the  common,  efpecially  when  he  was  fetting  np  a 
new  inftitution,  about  which  his  moft  faithful  followers 
could,  in  all  fucceeding  generations,  know  nothing  but 
from  the  words  ufed  in,  and  about,  the  inftitution,  Does 
not  all  this  appear  pi Ai'n  and  reafonable  I 

Now  the  Bible,  in  the  plain,  literal  and  common  fenfe 
of  the  words  which  it  ufes,  fays,  the  apoftles  dipt,  plung- 
ed, cr  immerfed,  all  fuch  as  they  admitted  to  baptifm. 
You  will  juJge  for  jyourfdves  whether  the  apoftles  prac- 
tifed  thus,  or  whether  they  did  not. 

4.  The  practice  of  the  apoftles  is  farther  illu fixated 
and  confirmed  by  what  Paul  tells  the  E.oman  and  Co- 
ioflian  Chriftians,  with  refpeet  to  what  took  place  when 
chey  recieved  the  ordinance  of  baptifm.     He  fays  to  the 

former^ 


[Serm.  HI.]  of  baptism.  39 

former,  "We  are  buried  with  him  by  baptlfm  into  death-/' 
To  the  oth?r  he  fays,  "  Buried  with  him  in  baptifm." 
Paul  fpeaks  of  this  matter  as  a  thing  perfectly  under- 
stood by  Cbrillrians  in  his  time,  and  ufed  it  as  an  argu- 
ment to  promote  their  weanednefs  from  the  world,  and 
growth  in  fancti  -cation.  But  have  not  you  either  paded 
over  thefe  and  fimilar  pailages,  without  noticing  them, 
or  confiuered  tb'em  rather  hard  to  be  understood  ?  But 
how  eafy  is  it  to  underftand  them,  provided  the  apoilles 
prac'tifed  as  tfcfl  fcriptures  fay  they  did  !  1  Mill  leave  it 
with  you  co  determine  for  yourfdves,  how  the  apollles 
j>ra6fifedf. 

This  is  the  befc  evidence  which  i he  nature  of  the  fub- 
ject  admits.  This  matter,  the  apoilles'  practice,  was  trans- 
acted many  ages  fince.  We  have  the  teftimony  of  the 
fcriptures  as  to  what  it  was ;  this  is  evidence  enough : 
however,  wc  (hall  oecafionally  add  the  teitimony  of 
men. 

We  mail  now  attend  to  the  practice  of  the  church, 
and  difcover,  if  we  can,  how  it  was  for  ages  after  the 
apoflles.  The  beft  evidence  which  this  part  part  of  my 
fubject  admits  is  that  of  human  teftimony.*  I  by  no 
means  reft  the  merit  of  the  caufe  on  this  evidence.  At 
the  fame  time,  it  may  weaken  the  prejudices  of  fojme, 
and  be  a  mean  of  confirming  others  in  the  belief  of  the 
truth. 


*  Chr'ifl's  promifc  to  his  apojlhs,  to  their  fuccejfors,  and  to  the 
Churchy  may  ajfureut>  that  the  ordinance  of  baptifm,  by  which 
his  people  JIjouuI  be  dijlinguj/bed from  the  world-,  would  ever  con* 
t'inue.  Therefore  could  we  know  what  the  church  hath  always 
prallfed,  efpccially  that  part  of  it  which  hath  been  mojl  fparate 
from  the  world \  then  their  practice  would  afford ra  Jlrong  #r- 
<cumtnt  in  favour  of  what  tie  injlituiion  intended. 


4C  THE   MODE  AND  SUBJECTS       [Serm.III.] 

It  appears  To  plain  a  cafe,  that  we  can  hardly  refute 
aiFent  to  it,  that  as  the  church  hath,  for  a  feries  of  ages, 
practifed,  fo  have  they  believed.  When  we  fhall  fee 
what  their  pradfcice  hath  been,  we  fhall  the  more  eafily 
i  or-cede  that  their  belief  hath  been  fimilar. 

What  is  now  before  us  is  to  produce  and  to  receive 
evidence  relative  to  the  practice  of  the  primitive  church, 
ft  is  the  following  : — 

1.  This  evidence  confifts  in  the  united  teftimony  of 
both  thofe  who  practifed  the  administration  of  the  ordi- 
nance by  immerfion,  and  thofe  who  ufedfpr inkling,  and 
called  it  baptizng. 

Mofheim,  a  very  noted  church  hiftorian,  and  not  ve- 
ry friendly  to  the  Baptifts,  bears  direct  teftimony,  that 
John,  Chrift/s  forerunner,  and  the  church,  in  the  firft 
ages  of  Chriftianity,  practifed  immerfion  as  the  mode  of 
baptizing.  The  following  you  may  take  as  a  fample  of 
his  evidence.  "  The  exhortations  of  this  refpectable 
MefTenger  (John)  were  not  without  effect,  and  thofe  who, 
moved  by  his  folemn  admonition,  had  formed  the  refo- 
lution  of  correcting  their  evil  difpofitions,  and  amending 
their  lives,  were  initiated  into  the  kingdom  of  the  Re- 
deemer by  the  ceremony  of  immerfion,  or  baptifm."* 

Speaking  of  the  church  in  the  fecond  century,  he  fays, 
"  The  perfons  that  were  to  be  baptized,  after  they  had 
repeated  the  creed,  confeffed  and  renounced  their  fins, 
and  particularly  the  devil,  in  his  pompous  allurements, 
were  immerfed  under  water,  and  received  into  Chrift's 
kingdom  by  a  folemn  invocation  of  Father,  Son  and 
Holy  Ghoft,  according  to  the  Esprefs  Command  of  our 
bleffed  Lord,  f 

The 

*  Century  I.  chap,  m.fift.  3. 

\  Cent.  [I.  part  ii.  chap,  x.ncl.  12. 


|_Serni.  III.]  oi  baptism,  41 

The  Doctor,  fpeaking  of  fome  inferior  feels  of  thefe- 
venteenth  century,  and  particularly  of  a  feet  called  Col- 
legiants,  fays,  "  Thofe  adult  perfons,  that  detire  to  be 
baptized,  receive  the  facrament  of  baptifm  "^according 
to  the  ancient  and  primitive  manner  of  celebrating  that 
inftitution,  even  by  immerfion"* 

Mr.  Bailey,  in  his  Etymological  Engiifh  Dictionary, 
fays,  "  In  ancient  times,  this  (baptifm)  being  performed 
by  immeriion,  the  perfons  fo  initiated  went  into  a  river, 
<3cc.  and  were  plunged. " 

John  Calvin,  in  his  Irjlltuiions,  book  IV.  chap.  xv. 
feet.  19,  fays,  "  It  U  certain  that  the  manner  of  dipping 
was  uicd  of  the  old  church." 

Here  are  three  fubftantial  witneiTes.  Thefe  might  be 
fufheient,  feeing  there  is  not  one  to  be  found  who  will, 
or  dares,  give  direct  and  pofitive  teftimony  againit  the 
truth  of  what  thefe  affirm.  But  fmce  there  are  an 
hoft  who  ftand  ready  to  give  in  their  teftimony,  even 
againft  their  own  practice,  we  will  hear  what  two  mere 
'  of  them  will  teftify,  relative  to  the  important  caufe  now 
on  trial. 

Thefe  two.  fhall  be  Dr.  Cave  and  the  famous  Mr- 
Baxter. 

Dr.  Cave,  a  great  fearcher-  into  antiquity,  fays, 
M  That  the  party  baptized  was  wholly  immerfed,  or 
put  under  water,  which  was-  the  conmen,  corjlant  and  urn* 
vsrfal  cwftom  of  thofe  times  ;  whereby  they  did  fignifi- 
cantly  exprefs  the  great  end  and  effects  of  baptifm,  re- 
prefenting  Chrift's  death,  burial  and  refurrection,  and, 
in  conformity  thereto,  our  dying  unto  fin,  the  destruc- 
tion of  its  power,  and  our.  refurrection  to  anew  courfe 
oflife,"  &c.f  Moft 

*  V*L  v.  /.  488.        f  Ten  Letters* 

D  a 


42  the  mode  and  subjects    rSerm. III. J 

Molt  remarkable  is  the  teftimony  which  Mr.  Baxter 
gives  to  this  truth,  in  the  following  words  :  "  It  is  com- 
monly confeffed  by  us  to  the  Baptifts,  (as  our  commen- 
tators declare)  that  in  the  apoftles'  time,  the  baptized 
were  dipped  over  head  in  water,  and  this  figni6eth  their 
profefiion  both  of  believing  the  burial  and  refurreclion 
of  Chriit,  and  of  their  own  dying  unto  fin,  and  living,  or 
rifmg  again,  to  newnefs  of  life,  or  being  buried  and  rifen 
again  with  Chriit,  as  the  Apoftle  expoundeth  baptifm, 
Col.  ii.  12,  and  Rota',  iv.  6.  And  though  (faith  he)  we 
have  thought  it  lawful  to  diiufe  the  manner  of  dip- 
ping, and  to  ufe  lefs  water,  yet  we  prefume  not  to  change 
the  ufe  and  ngnificaiion  of  it ;  fo  then  he  that  fignally 
pro&ffes  to  die  and  rife  again  in  baptifm  with  Chrift, 
dothj/z^a/.V  iproftfs  faring  fakh  and  repentance  ;  but/i6/x  do 
all  they  that  are  baptized  according  to  the  apoftolic 
practice.  "* 

As  thefe  wttneffes  teftify,  fo  do  all  learned  and  pious 
men  who  have  critically  attended  to  this  fubjeft,  and  af- 
terwards given  in  any  direct  and  pofitive  evidence  upon 
the  matter. 

2.  The  evidence,  as  to  the  practice  of  the  primitive- 
church,  con  fills  in  the  teftimony  of  men  to  this  truth, 
that  the  church  did  for  thirteen  hundred  years  pradtife 
immerfion,  fome  extreme  cafes  excepted. 

The  only  evidence  which  I  purpofe  to  give  in  fupport 
of  this,  for  the  prefent,  is  the  teftimony  of  the  author  of 
Ten  Letters  to  biflicp  Hoadly  upon  the  mode  and  fubjects 
of  baptifm,  and  the  confeftlon  of  Dr.  Lathrop  that  it  was 
even  fo. 

The  author  of  the  Letters  afTerts  that  this  was  the  prac- 
tice 

•  Ten  Letters, 


[Serm.  III.]       of  baptism,  45 

tice  of  the  church  for  thirteen  hundred  years  after  the 
commencement  of  the  Chriltian  era.  Dr.  Lathrop  af- 
fents  that  this  was  the  facl:  ;  as  you  may  fee,  by  reading 
his  four  fermons  on  baptifm,  where  he 'gives  thefe  letters 
a  particular  attention,  and  is  fuppofed  to  affent,  where  he 
makes  no  objection. 

3.  All  the  churches  in  Europe,  Afia  and  Africa,  ever 
have  done,  and  do  now,  pra£Hfe  immerfion,  lave  thofe 
who  are  now,  or  have  been,  under  the  jurifdidtion  of  the 
Pontiffs  of  Rome. 

The  fame  witneiTes,  who  bore  their  teftimony  to  the 
laft  particular,  give  in  their  evidence  in  fupport  of  this, 
and  in  the  fame  way ;  the  one  afferting  the  fact,  the  other 
affenting  that  it  is  even  fo. 

4.  The  very  reafons  which  have  been  given,  and 
which  are  ftill  given,  to  juftify  the  contrary  practice,  are 
a  plain  cenfeffion  that  immerfion,  or  burying  the  fubjecls 
■under  water,  was  the  practice  of  the  apoftles  and  primi- 
tive church  in  the  ordinance  of  baptifm,  and  what  Chrift 
commanded  to  be  done. 

The  reafons  which  are  alledged  why  fprinkling  may 
be  fubiiituted  for  immerfion,  are,  the  want  of  health,  in 
fome  in  fiances  where  they  fuppofe  baptifm  to  be  necefTa- 
ry  ;  the  weaknefs  of  conftitution  with  refpect  to  fome, 
and  the  coldnefs  of  climate  with  refpecl  to  many,  and  as 
to  all  in  northern  climes  in  the  wintry  feafon.  Here  is  a 
filent  acknowledgement,  that  it  is  not  the  inftitution, 
that  it  is  not  the  permiflion,  of  Chrifl;,  but  mere  accidental* 
and  local  circumftances,  which  make  it  lawful  to  lay  by 
the  command  of  Chrift,  and  to  receive  in  its  ftead  the 
precepts  and  commandments  of  men. 

Mr.  Bailey  fays,  in  his  dictionary,  that  baptifm  was 
performed  in  the  eaftern  and  warmer  countries  by  dip- 
ping 


44         fhe  mode  and  subjects     [Serm.III.j 

ping  the  perfons  ail  over,  but  in  procefs  of  time,  in  the 
weftern  aud  colder  countries,  fprinkling  was  fubftituted 
in  the  place  of  dipping. 

Dr.  Lathrop,  in  his  Sermons,  implicitly  confefTes  the 
following  extracts  to  be  both  true  and*genuine. 

Mr.  Baxter,  in  his  Parcphrafe  on  the  New  Tejlament,  ob- 
ferves  on  Matth.  iii.  6,  "  We  grant  that  baptifm  then 
was  by  wafhing  the  whole  body  ;  and  did  not  the  dif- 
ference of  our  cold  country,  as  to  that  hot  one,  teach  us 
to  remember,  '  I  will  have  mercy  and  not  facriEce*  it 
fhould  be  fo  here." 

The  author  of  the  Letters  to  bt/hop  Hoadly,  in  the  twen- 
ty-third page,  writes  thus :  "  Mr.  Baxter,  we  have  alrea- 
dy feen,  excufes  the  matter  by  the  coldnefs  of  our  cli- 
mate. Calvin,  the  celebrated  reformer  of  Geneva,  ob- 
ferves  in  his  Expofition  of  Acts  viii.  38,  *  We  fee  here 
what  was  the  baptifmal  -rite  among  the  ancients,  for 
they  plunged  the  whole  body  in  the  water.'  Now  it  is 
the  cuflom  for  the  minifter  to  fprinkie  only  the  body* 
or  head,  and  he  too  excufes  this  fprinkling,  but  how,  I 
cannot  well  recoiled,  not  having  his  book  at  hand." 

Bimop  Burnet,  though  he  thus  defcribes  the  primitive 
baptifm,  "  With  no  other  garments  but  that  might 
ferve  to  cover  nature,  they  at  fir.ft  laid  them  down,  as  a 
man  is  laid  in  the  grave,  and  then  they  faid  thefe  words, 
I  baptize,  or  wafti,  thee  in  the  name,  &c.  Then  they 
raifed  them  up  again,  and  clean  garments  were  put 
upon  them  ;  from  whence  came  the  phrafes  of  being 
baptized  into  Chrift's  death,  of  being  buried  with  him 
by  baptifm  into^death,  of  our  being  rifen  with  Chrift, 
and  of  our  putting  on  the  X,ord  Jefus  Chrift  ;  of  put- 
ting off  the  old  man,  and  putting  on  the  new," — and' 
though  he  juftly  obferves,  that  facraments  are  pofitive 

precepts,. 


[Serm.  III.]  of  baptism.  45 

precepts,  which  are  to  be  meafured  only  by  the  inftitu- 
tion,  in  which  there  is  not  room  left  for  us  to  can-y 
them  any  farther  ; — yet  forgetting  his  own  meafure  of 
the  inftitution,  viz.  the  party  baptized  was  laid  down 
in  the  water,  as  a  man  is  laid  in  the  grave,  he  fays, 
"  The  danger  in  cold  climates  may  be  a  very  good  rea- 
fon  for  changing  the  form  cf  baptifm  to  fprinkling."* 

I  propofe,  for  the  prefent,  to  note  but  one  quotation 
more,  and  that  fhall  be  in  the  words  of  Dr.  Wall,  as 
quoted  in  the  letters.  The  Doctor  in  giving  the  reafons 
why,  in  Queen  Elizabeth's  reign,  the  cuftom  of  dipping 
was  laid  aiide,  obferves,  "  It  being  allowed  to  weak  chil- 
dren to  be  baptized  by  affufion,  many  found  ladies  and 
gentlemen  firft,  and  then,  by  degrees,  the  common  peo- 
ple, would  obtain  the  favour  of  the  prieft  to  have  their 
children  pafs  for  weak  children,  too  tender  to  endure 
dipping  in  the  water. "f  Now, 

6.  It  may  be  eafy  for  you  to  gather  what  is  the  out- 
ward and  vifible  part  of  the  ordinance  of  baptifm. 

It  is  to  immerfe  proper  fubjects  in  water,  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghoft. 
This  is  the  outward  and  vifible  part  of  baptifm,  the 
fcriptures  being  judge  ;  this  literal  and  plain  meaning 
of  the  command  being  judge;  the  practice  of  the  apo- 
ftles  being  judge  ;  the  practice  of  the  church  for  more 
than  a  thoufand  years  being  judge  ;  and  even  if  we  ap- 
peal to  thofe  who  refufe  to  pracYife  thus,  they  add  their 
teftimony,  that  this  is  what  was  commanded.  They  pre- 
tend nor  to  fay,  that  any  new  command  hath  been  giv- 
en, or  that  the  old  one  hath  ever  been  changed.  What 
fhall  we  fay  to  thefe  things !  !  ! 

t 
*  Burnet's  Expnfltion  of  the  Tkirfy-nine  Articles, 
\Vol.  II.    f.  30,  1  Ed. 


$6  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS      [Serm.HI.] 

I  conclude,  by  fubmitting  a  queftion,  and  a  few  in- 
ferences, for  your  confideration. 

The  queftion  is,  If  immerfion  be  from  heaven,  and 
fprinkling  from  men,  by  what  authority  do  we  continue 
the  practice  ? 

The  inferences  are — 

i.  We,  who  call  ourfelves  Paedobaptifls,  are  as  i 
houfe  divided  againft  itfelf.  To  fay  the  leaft,  we 
appear  thus.  Our  champions  will  look  us  in  the  face-, 
and  aflure  us,  that  the  Baptiiis  have  plain  fcripture  for 
their  mode,  and  yet  we  have  a  right  to  choofe  on  the 
fcore  of  convenience,  &c.  what  mode  is  pleafmg  to  us. 
Thus  fay  Calvin,  Hoadly,  Owen,  and  others :  whilil  in 
their  practice  they  have  been,  in  this  inftance,  like  the 
fervant  who  knew  but  did  not  his  lord's  will.  Thefe 
good  men  have  confeft  rather  too  much  for  the  credit  of 
their  practice,  and  our  comfort  while  copying  it.  Many, 
however,  have  rifen  up  in  defence  of  our  fathers'  practice 
and  ours.  They  invent  many  ingenious  hypothefes  to 
prove  it  from  heaven,  but  not  one  affords  a  folid  conclu- 
fion>  which  fhows  k  to  be  fo. 

2.  According  to  the  light  which  for  the  prefent  ap- 
pears, we  cannot  but  conclude,  that  our  definitions  of* 
baptifm  and  to  baptize  are  fcriptural,  accurate  and  juft. 
If  we  will  do  the  will  of  God,  we  muit  practife  what  he 
commands. 

3.  It  appears  that  it  is  not  left  with  us  to  choofe 
what  mode  we  will  practife  in  adminiftering  or  in  receiv- 
ing the  ordinance  of  baptifm  ;  for  we  find  but  one  mode 
to  it :  and  we  muft  practife  this,  or  none.  We  may 
fnrinkle  a  perfon  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  &c.  and  we 
may  warn  the  face,  or  any  part  of  a  perfon,  in  the  fame 
facred  name  ;  but  it  is  not  poffible  to  baptize  a  nerfon  in 

this 


[Serm.III.]        of  baptism.  47 

this  way.  For  fprinkling,  or  any  fmall,  partial  wauV 
ing,  never  was,  is  not  now,  nor  ever  will  be,  what  the 
fcriptures  mean  by  Chriftian  baptifm. 

4.  That  a  perfbn  mull  be  greatly  unacquainted  with 
the  plain,  literal,  fcripture  account  of  baptifm,  or  ex- 
tremely prejudiceu,  not  to  fay  perverfe,  to  affirm,  that 
the  Bible  fays  nothing  about  immerfion,  or  burying  in 
water,  for  baptizing.  For  it  fpeaks  of  this  mode,  and  of 
no  other,  in  the  application  of  water  as  a  gofpel  ordi- 
nance. 

The  Baptifts  have  for  their  mode  the  broad  bafis  of 
f:rij)ture,  antiquity,  and  the  uninterrupted,  and  fomev.hat 
univerfal,  practice  of  the  church. 

5.  It  appears  that  for  well  informed  Psedobaptifts  to 
oppofe  the  Baptifts,  as  to  their  mode  of  baptizing,  is  ve- 
ry great  wickednefs.  For  the  Baptifts  have  the  advan- 
tage of  plain  and  exprefs  fcripture  on  their  fide,  and  the 
learned,  critical  and  candid  Psedobaptifts  know  it. 

Ignorance  is  the  bed  and  only  excufe  which  we  can. 
make  for  ourfelves  for  any  opposition  which  we  have 
made  againft  the  ancient  and  primitive  mode  which  the 
Baptifts  have  pra&ifed  in  the  adniiniftration  of  the  ordi- 
nance. Our  contention  in  this  matter  hath  not  been 
againft  the  Baptifts  merely,  but  it  hath  beenagainft  their 
Lord  and  ours. 

Dr.  Lathrop  appears  generoufly  to  grant  the  truth, 
that  immerfion  is  fcripture  baptifm,  and  only  contends 
that  fprinkling  be  alfo  allowed  ;  which  every  candid 
mind  would  readily  do,  were  there  one  text  of  fcripture 
to  fupport  it. 

6.  No  true  Chriftian,  if  he  knew  what  he  did,  would 
ever  make  light  of  immerfion,  which  the  Lord  com- 
mands, and  the  Baptifts  practife,  as  the  mode  of  baptij* 
ing,  or,  more  ftriclly,  as  baptifm  itfelf. 


[    48    ] 
THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS 

OF 

BAPTISM. 


SERMON    IV. 


MATTHEW  XXVIII.  19,  20. 

Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  bafti%ing  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghqfi  ;  teach- 
ing them  to  ohferve  a!!  things  nvhatfoever  I  have  commanded 
you  :  And,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alivay,  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  world.     Amen. 

WHILST  difcourfing  to  you  upon  thefe  words,  I 
have,  as  I  fuppofe,  proved  to  you  what  is  the  out- 
ward and  vifihle  part  of  baptifm.  You  have,  to  appear- 
ance, given  a  ferious  and  folemn  attention,  and,  I  hope, 
a  candid  one,  to  what  hath  been  faid. 

All  which  I  afk  oi  you  in  this  matter  is,  that  you,  in 
the  fpirit  of  meeknefs,  hear  the  whole,  and  then  judge 
and  pra&ife,  in  fuch  a  manner,  as  you  cannot  refufe  to 
do,  without  doing  violence  to  your  reafon,  and  without 
difobedience  to  the  command  of  Heaven. 

Some  of  you  may  be  afraid  of  difcord ;  but  whence,  I 
pray  you,  will  difcord  arife  among  brethren  ?  Will  2 
candid,  prayerful  and  felf  denying  attention  to  truth 
caufe  this  feared  difcord  ?    Hath  truth  a  tendency  to 

produce 


[_Serm.  IV.]  of  baptism,  49 

produce  difcord  among  the  faithful  followers  of  the 
Lamb  of  God  ?  I  know  that  once,  whenChrilt  preached 
the  doctrines  of  the  crofs,  multitudes  of  profeffing  difci- 
ples  went  back,  and  followed  no  more  with  him.  I  hope 
it  will  not  be  thus  with  any  of  you.  But,  my  brethren, 
however  it  may  be  with  any  of  you,  one  thing  is  clear— 
I  ought,  I  mud,  declare  to  you,  fo  fad  as  1  profitably 
can,  all  thofe  truths  of  God,  which  appear  neceflary  to 
build  you  up  in  found  faith  and  holy  practice* 

As  I  have  faid  before,  fo  fay  I  unto  you  again,  that 
all  which  I  afk  of  ycu  is,  to  give  truth  a  candid  hearing, 
and  yield  your  aflent,  when  fads  are  plainly  proved. 

Nothing  mould,  by  me,  be  thought  too  much  to  be 
done,  to  clear  away  from  your  minds  the  darknefs  of 
prejudice,  together  with  any  erroneous  belief  and  prac- 
tice which  you  may  have  imbibed,  in  part,  by  my  means. 
I  mall,  therefore,  in  this  difcourfe,  after  having  attended 
to  the  purport,  end  or  dcfign  of  baptifm,  anfwer  feme  ob- 
jections, which  may  for  the  prcfent  obftruct  the  force  of 
truth. 

Before  we  proceed  to  the  particular  bufmefs  of  this 
difcourfe,  you  will,  if  you  pleafe,  attend  for  a  minute  to 
a  few  queftions  and  their  anfwers. 

1.  Is  it  not  a  plain  cafe,  that  it  is  my  duty  to  deliver 
to  you  the  whole  counfel  of  God,  according  to  the  bed 
light  it  may  pleafe  him  to  afford  me  ? 

2.  Is  it  not  equally  plain,  that  your  duty  is  to  yield, 
not  to  me,  but  to  the  truths  which  I  deliver,  an  obedi- 
ent ear  ? 

3.  Should  you,  from  an  uncandid  and  prejudiced 
mind,  refufe  to  be  converted  by  the  truth,  will  the  fault 
be  mine  ? 

E  4.  Should 


c;o        the  mode  and  subjects     [Serm.IV.] 

4.  Should  I  exhibit  full  evidence,  as  to  the  fubjedt 
on  hand, and  exhibit  that  evidence  clearly  too,  or  fhould 
it  be  that  I  have  done  this,  and  yet  great  difficulties 
iri. mid  arife,  will  you  be  juftificd  fhould  you  lay  the 
blame  to  me  ? 

5.  Should  I  teach  you  the  truth,  and  produce  all 
the  evidence  which  you  can  afk  for,  and  you  fhould,  all, 
like  faithful  Chriftians,  believe  it,  where  or  whence  will 
arife  any  difficulty  among  us  ?  Should  any  of  you  re- 
fufe  to  believe,  will  you  charge  your  difficulties  to  my 
account  ? 

6.  Are  not  all  of  you  determined  that  you  will  hear 
candidly,  and  believe  upon  evidence  ? 

You  will  pleafe  to  give  a  Chriftian  and  judicious  an- 
fwer  to  each  of  thefe  queftions,  and  let  you  practice  be 
conformed  with  the  gofpel  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift. 

Having  laid  before  you  the  principal  part  of  the  facts 
and  evidence,  which  1  intended,  as  to  the  viflble  and 
outward  part  of  baptifm,  now — 

I.q/i'y,  The  purport,  end  and  defign  of  the  Baptifmal 
lhRitiitidn  may  call  for  fome  attention. 

The  purport,  end  or  defign  of  this  Chriftian  ordinance, 
or    in  (lit  ut  ion,  appears  to  be — 

1.  For  a  dividing  line  between  the  kingdom  of  our 
Lord,  and  the  kingdoms  of  this  world. 

John  was  Chrift's  forerunner  :  he  was  fent  before  his 
face  to  turn  the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and 
the  difobedient  to  the  vvifdom  of  the  juft  :  to  make  ready 
a  people  prepared  for  the  Lord;*  and  that  Chrift 
fhould  be  made  manifeft  to  lfrael,  therefore,  fays  John, 
am  I  come  baptizing  with  water.f  John's  miffion  com- 
prehended   a  double  purpofe,  to  make  ready  a  people, 

prepared 
*  Lufo  i.  17.        f  John  i.  31. 


[Serm.  VI.]  of  baptism.  51 

prepared  for  the  Lord,  and  to  manifefr  Him  unto  Ifrael. 
The  people  which  he  inftrumentally  made  read)7,  and 
prepared  toreceive  the  Lord, he  baptized;  and  it  appears 
from  his  rejecting  many  of  the  Pharifees  and  Sadduces,  that 
he  intentionally  baptized  none  other.*  The  whole  difcourfe 
which  he  had  with  them,  Matt.  iii.  7  to  12,  is  good  evi- 
dence that  he  admitted  none  to  baptiim  but  fuch  as 
brought  forth  vifible  fruits  of  repentance.  Such  per- 
fons  he  admitted  among  that  people  which  he  was  mak. 
ing  ready  for  the  Lord.  This  people  were,  when  pre- 
pared, to  compofe  that  kingdom,  or  the  beginning  of 
that  kingdom,  which  fhall  never  be  deftroyed,  and  which 
is  an  everlaning  kingdom,  which  fhall  ftand  forever: 
Daniel  ii.  44,  and  vii.  27.  This  kingdom  Chrift  calls 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  fays,  it  is  not  of  this  work*. 

It  appears  to  be  this  kingdom,  which  was  now  at 
hand,  almofl  ready  to  be  fet  up,  of  which  Chrift  fpeaks 
to  Nicodemus,  when  he  fays,  John,  iii.  5,  Except  a  man 
be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God. 

All  this  does,  for  iubilance,  meet  the  fer.timent  of  Bap- 
tifts  and  Pas jobaptifts  on  this  fubjedl.  Both  fu; 
that  none  can  belong  to  this  kingdom  without  being 
born  of  water,  or  baptized.  Both  fuppqfe  that  men 
may  profelTedly,  or  vifibly,  belong  to  this  kingdom,  with- 
out bsing  born  of  the  Spirit:  but,  perhaps,  neither  the 
Baptifts,  nor  Paedobap  tilts,  would  fay,  that  any  do, 
ftriclly  fpeaking,  belong  to  this  kingdom,  except  they 
have  been  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit.  Our  Lord 
faith,  Verily,  verily,  except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and 
of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  iato  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven. If  a  man  cannot  enter  into  this  kingdom  but  in 
this  way,  he  cannot  belong  to  it  in  any  other. 

Both 

*  Matt.  iii.  7. 


5^  THE   MODE  AND  SUBJECTS      [SeriTl.IV.] 

Both  fides  grant,  that  baptifrrt,  or  to  he  born  of  water, 
Is  the  only  way  of  admittance  into  this  kingdom.  They 
are  not  fo  well  agreed  as  to  what  it  is  to  he  born  of  wa- 
ter, whether  it  be  to  be  fprinkled,  wafted,  or  immerfed. 
Concerning  this  matter  you  mud  judge  for  yourfelves. 

This  being  a  given  point,  that  the  defign  of  baptifm 
i;,  that  it  fhould  be  for  a  dividing  line  between  that 
kingdom,  which  the  God  of  heaven  was  to  fet  up  in  the 
latter  day,  and  this  world,  1  would  fuggeft  for  your  con- 

fi deration Which   draws  the   line  of  feparation   moft 

clearly  between  this  kingdom  and  all  other  kingdoms 
on  earth  ;  to  enter  it  by  being  fprinkled  ;  or  by  being 
vifibly  and  actually  buried  in  water,  and  rifing  as  it 
were  from  the  dead,  to  join  this  kingdom  ? 

I  will  alfo  fuggeft  one  thing  more  for  your  eonfidera- 
tlon  :  Which  hath  the  molt  direct  and  natural  tendency 
to  caufe  Chrift's  kingdom  to  appear  to  be,  as  it  really  is, 
net  of  this  world  ?  to  have  almoft  all  admitted  into  it, in 
infancy,  and  £o  in  unbelief,  ai?d  all  by  fprinkling,  or  by 
a  little  water  put  upon  the  face,  and  the  greater  part  of 
them  living  in  open  wickednefs,  or  manifeft  unbelief, 
and  unnoticed  by  the  church  to  which  they  are  fuppofed 
to  belong  ;  or,  to  have  none  admitted  but  profefTed  be- 
lievers, and  thefe  admitted  in  a  way  which  fignificantly 
fays,  that  they  turn  their  backs  upon  the  world  ;  yea, 
that  they  are  dead  to  the  world,  and  are  rifen  with 
Chrift.  1  only  fuggeft  this  for  your  confideration.  I 
hope  to  attend  to  it  in  its  place,  but  not  to-day. 

2.  The  purport,  end  or  defign  of  baptifm  appears  to 
be  for  a  manifeftation,  that  the  fubjecls  of  it  have  for- 
faken  all,  yes,  their  own  lives,  for  Chrift's  fake  and  the 
gofpel. 

How  can  this  be  more   vifibly  manifefted,   than  by 

beinjr 


[Serm.IV.]  of  baptise.  ^ 

being  buried  with  him  in  baptifm  :  How  can  a  man 
more  vifibiy  forfake  all,  than  he  does  when  buried  ■ 
How  can  any  one  more  manifeftly  forfake  his  own  lite 
for  another,  than  by  voluntarily  fubmitting  himfclf  into 
the  hands  of  another  to  be  buried  alive  : 

Is  not  this  agreeable  to  what  Chrift  faith,  Whofoever 
he  be  of  you  that  forfaketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he  can- 
not be  my  difciple  ? 

3.  It  appears  to  be  for  a  reprefentation  of  our  be- 
ing wafhed  from  our  fins  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 

John,  the  revelator,  faith,  fpeaking  of  Jefus  Chrift,  the 
faithful  witnefs,  "  Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  walhed 
us  from  our  fins  in  his  own  blood. "  This  is  a  figurative 
expreffion,  mowing  at  once  the  procuring  caufe,  the 
blood  of  Chrift,  and  the  gracious  effect,  our  fouls  purg- 
ed from  dead  works  to  ferve  the  Living  God.  Can  any 
natural  fign  reprefent  this  more  fully,  than  does  baptifm, 
in  which  our  bodies  are  wafhed  with  pure  water  ? 

4.  The  purport,  end  or  defign  of  this  Chriftian  or- 
dinance appears  to  be  for  the  promotion  of  piety  in  indi- 
viduals, and  purity  in  the  church. 

What  can  have  a  ftronger  tendency  to  move  the  heart 
of  a  Chriftian  to  piety  and  weanednefs  from  the  world, 
than  has  the  inftitation  of  baptifm  ?  f-eing  at  every  re- 
membrance of  it,  he  is  put  in  mind,  how  Chrift  diz&forjin, 
and  how  every  one  who  hath  believed  and  been  baptiz- 
ed, has  by  the  ordinance  fignally  died  to  Jtn,  been  buried 
from  the  world,  and  raifed  again  to  newnefs  of  life. 
Hath  not  this  ordinance  alfo  an  equally  ftrong  tendency 
to  preferve  the  purity  of  the  church,  fhould  it  be  ad- 
miniftered  as  we  have  proved  it  ought  to  be,  by  immer- 
fion  only  ?  and  mould  another  thing  be  found  to  be  true, 
that  vifible  believers  only  mould  be  admitted  to  it, 

E  2  a 


54  THE   MODE  AND  SUBJECTS     [Serm.IV.] 

a  world  of  unbelievers  would  this  fnut  out  of  the  church  ! 
How  differently  would  the  profeffed  church  of  Jefus 
Chrift  appear  from  what  it  now  does  ! 

If  my  information  be  correct,  every  natural  born  fub- 
je#  of  the  crown  of  England  is,  according  to  the  laws 
of  their  national  church,  to  be  baptized,  and  immediate- 
ly confidered  as  a  member  of  the  church.  This  is,  in- 
deed, confident,  if  all  the  parents  have,  in  any  paft  peri- 
od, been  profelyted  to  the  Chriftian  religion,  and  if  bap- 
tifm  have  come  into  the  place  of  circumcifion,  and  to 
be  adminiflered  to  children  and  infants,  as  that  was. 

Not  only  fo,  but  probably  nine  tenths  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  New  England,  if  not  of  our  nation,  belong  to  the 
church,  according  to  the  profeffed  belief  of  the  Paedo- 
baptifts.  Upon  the  fame  principle  1  prefume  that  more 
than  txhree  fourths  of  all  the  adults  in  this  and  the  neigh- 
bouring towns  belong  to  the  church,  and  have,  if  the 
principle  be  according  to  the  gofpel,  a  right  to  require 
admittance  to  the  Lord's  fupper,  and  baptifm  for  their 
children.  Then,  upon  the  fame  principle,  would  their 
children  be  members  of  the  church,  and  entitled  to  all 
the  privileges  of  God's  houfe,  as  they  come  to  years,  and 
nothing  fhort  of  grofs  immorality  could  juftify  their  ex- 
clufion.  Does  this  look  as  though  Chrifl's  kingdom 
were  not  of  this  world  ? 

5.  The  purport,  end  or  defign  of  baptifm  appears  to 
be  well  defcribed  by  Dr.  Goodwin,  in  the  following 
words :  "  The  eminent  thing  fignified  and  reprefented 
in  baptifm  is  not  fingly  the  blood  of  Chrift*  as  it  wajbes 
us  from  our  fins,  but  there  is  a  farther  reprefentation 
therein  of  Chrift's  death,  burial  and  refurreaion,  in  the 
baptized  :  and  this  is  not  in  a  bare  conformity  to  Chrift, 
but  is  a  reprefentation  of  a  communion  with  Chrift  in  his 

death 


[Serm.  IV.]  OF   BAPTISM.  $$ 

death  and  refurrection  ;  therefore  it  is  laid,  We  are  buri- 
ed with  him  in  baptifm,  and  wherein  we  are  rifen  with 
him,  &c.  And  moreover,  here  it  is  that  the  anfwer  of  a 
good  confcience,  which  is  made  the  inward  effect  of  this 
ordinance,  I  Peter,  iii.  21,  is  there  alio  attributed  to 
Chrift's  refurreclion,  as  the  thing  fignified  and  reprefent- 
ed  in  baptifm ;  and  as  the  caufe  of  that  anfwer  of  a  good 
confcience,  even  baptifm  doth  now  fave  us,  as  it  is  a  fi- 
gure of  falvation  by  Chrift." 

6.  The  purport,  end  or  defign  of  the  ordinance  ap- 
pears to  be  to  point  out,  or  fhadow  forth,  the  forgivenefs 
or  remiffion  of  fins,  and  the  being  cleanfed  from  them. 
Hence  the  propriety  of  fcripture  expreffions,  which  are 
like  the  following  :  The  baptifm  of  repentance  for  the 
remiffion  of  fins,  Mark  i.  4.  Arife  and  be  baptized,  and 
wafh  away  thy  fins,  Ads  xxii.  16.  Here  it  is  worthy  of 
the  critical  reader's  notice,  that  the  word  tranflated,  waft 
aivay,  is  apoloufai,  which  fignifies  to  wafn  clean,  or  to 
waih  out  a  ftain,  as  well  as  to  wafn  away.  It  is  alfo 
worthy  to  be  obferved,  that  the  word  Iquq>  whence  this  is 
derived,  is  the  only  word,  or  theme,  fave  baptizo,  which, 
in  the  New  Teftament,  fignines  to  wafh  the  body.  This 
being  well  confidered,  it  cannot  be  doubted,  but  baptifm 
is  a  moll  fignificant  reprefentation  of  the  remiffion  of 
fin,  or  clean  ling  from  it. 

Laftly.  The  purport,  end  and  defign  of  the  ordinance 
of  baptifm  appears  to  be,  for  an  open  and  manifeft  de- 
claration that  thofe  who  receive  it,  do  heartily,  and  of  a 
ready  mind,  put  on  Chrift,  enter  into  his  fervice,  receive 
him  to  be  their  Prophet,  Prieft  and  King,  and  covenant 
to  be  for  him,  and  for  him  only.  Accordingly  it  is  faid, 
As  many  as  were  baptized  into  Chrift,  have  put  on 
Chrift  :  They  have  put  on  his  name,  his  felf-denying 
profeffion,  his  fuffering,  defpifed,  but  glorious  caufe. 

Is 


$6  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS       [Serm.VL] 

Ts  the  purport,  end  and  defign  of  baptifm  as  hath  been 
now  ftated,  then  the  mode  is  immerfion;  and  thofe  who 
change  the  ordinance  from  dipping  to  fprinkling,  and  apply  it 
to  unbelievers,  pervert  the  ordinance,  lofe  its  import,  and 
make  it  quite  another  thing.  This  we  have,  for  years, 
ignorantly  done. 

We  will  now  attend  to  the  arguments,  which  the  late 
Rev.  John  Cleaveland  hath  left  us  in  fupport  of  /prink  - 
ling,  as  being  authentic  baptifm.  This  Mr.  Cleaveland 
was,  and  I  believe  juftly  too,  efteemed  as  one  of  the 
mod  pious  and  faithful  fervants  of  Chrift.  Whilit  I 
was  favoured  with  a  perfonal  acquaintance  with  him,  he 
flood  very  high  in  my  eftimation,  for  his  unaffected 
piety,  and  fervent  fimplicity,  as  a  preacher  of  the  ever- 
laying  gofpel.  I  ftill  retain  the  fame  opinion  of  the 
o-ood  man.  But  great  and  good  men  are  not  ah*  ays 
wife.  In  any  inftance  where  their  wiftiom  hath  failed 
them,  we  fhould  be  careful  how  we  follow.  The  Be- 
reans  would  not  take  Paul  for  a  guide,  without  flrft 
bringing  him  to  the  ftandard  of  divine  truth.  The  Be- 
reans  were  juftified.  Should  we  treat  Mr.  C.  in  the 
fame  way,  he  could  not,  and  I  am  inclined  to  think, 
he  would  not,  though  he  were  living,  condemn  us.  I 
might  let  his  works  and  arguments  in  fupport  of  fprink- 
ling, ileep,  were  it  not,  that  fome  of  you,  my  people,  and 
perhaps  others,  may  by  them,  in  one  particular,  be  kept 
from  beholding  Chrift,  as  in  an  open  glafs. 

The  good  man's  object  was,  to  prove  that  baptifm  by 
fprinkling  is  authentic,  or  is  fcriptural ;  or  that  fprink- 
ling is  baptifm. 

I  will  now  lay  before  you  his  fuppofed  ftrong  argu- 
ments by  which  he  fupports  the  validity  of  fprinkling 
for  baptizing.  After  dating  the  principles  of  the  Bap- 
tifts,  as  to  the  ordinance  now  considering,  his 

ill  Argument 


[Serm.  IV.]  of  eaptism.  $y 

i  ft  Argument  is,  "  Their  learned  men  know  that  the 
word  baptizo  in  Luke  xi.  3S,  and  baptifmnui  in  Mark  vii, 
2 — 5,  are  ufecl  to  fignify  the  fame  as  nipto  is,  i.  e.  proper 
wafhing,  or  making  clean  by  the  application  of  water, 
id  cafes  that  do  not  necefTirilyj  require  dipping  as  the 
mode  of  wafhing."  The  anfwtr  to  this  is :  That  nei- 
ther the  learned  men  among  the  Baptifts,  nor  the  learn- 
ed among  any  other  clafs  of  men,  know  any  fuch  thing. 
Befides,  baptijlhe,  in  Luke,  and  bapiifmous,  in  Mark,  have 
reference  to,  and  mean,  a  ceremonial,  a  religious,  or  ra- 
ther, as  may  be  more  properly  called  in  thefe  inftances, 
a  fuperftitious  wafhing.  What  is  meant  by  a  ceremo- 
nial wafhing,  you  my/  fee  by  looking  into  the  ceremo- 
nial law  :  Levis,  xi.  32,  and  in  Numb.  xix.  19,  where  you 
will  find  that  this  ceremonial  wafhing  was,  to  put  into 
water,  or  to  bathe  one's  fiefh  in  water.  You  hence  fee 
that  thefe  two  paffages,  with  which  Mr.  Cleaveland  lays 
the  foundation  of  his  fupport  of  fprinkling  for  baptifm, 
utterly  fail  him,  and  come  in  as  auxiliaries  to  confirm 
immerfion  as  the  only  fcripture  baptifm.  I  will  not  fay 
that  nipto  is  never  ufed  to  fignify  ceremonial  wafhing, 
and  fo  intend  the  wafhing,  or  putting  the  hands  into  wa- 
ter, (pugme)  with  abundance  of  exaclnefs,  as  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge expounds  it,  or  up  to  the  elbows,  as  L'Enfant 
renders  it.  But  one  thing  is  evident  to  all  who  will  ex- 
amine the  texts,  and  compare  them  with  the  ceremonial 
wafhings  of  the  ceremonial  law,  in  conformity  with 
which  the  jewifh  doctors  meant  to  have  their  traditional 
ceremonies,  that  baptiz5  and  baptifmos  are  not  ufed  in  the 
fenfe  in  which  nipto  generally  is.  In  every  point  of  view, 
Mr.  Cleaveland's  texts  utterly  fail  him,  and  go  to  de- 
flroy  the  cuflom  or  tradition  he  brought  them  to  fupport. 
Befides,  1  do  not  find  that  baptizo  is  ufed,  in  any  place, 

for 


5%  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS     [SeiTll.IV.] 

for  warning  the  hands,  or  for  w  a  filing  or  dipping  apart  of 
the  body,  or  any  other  thing.  Mr.  Cleaveland's 

2d  Argument  is  built  upon  Hebrews  ix.  10,  where  the 
Apoftle  fpeaks  of  (d'taphorois  baptifmois  )  divers  waihings. 
Here,  where  the  Apoftle  is  fpeaking  of  divers  ceremoni- 
al warnings,  or  bathings,  Mr.  Cleaveland,  without 
the  leaft  poffible  evidence,  concludes  the  Apoftle  means 
divers  fprinklings. 

The  fame  anfwer  which  was  given  to  the  firft  argu- 
ment belongs  to  this,  as  Mr.  Cleaveland  has  produced  no 
evidence,  that  (baptifmois)  warnings,  or  bathings,  means 
fprinklings,  fave  that  in  the  13th  and  21ft  verfes.  The 
Apoftle  makes  ufe  of  the  word  fprinkle,  when  fpeaking 
of  the  application  of  blood,  and  fpeaking  of  the  unclean, 
fays,  they  are  rantized,  and  adds,  almoft  all  things  are 
by  the  law  purged,  catherized,  not  baptized,  with  blood. 
It  is  not  a  little  furprifmg  that  a  man  ofMr.  Cleaveland?s 
good  fenfe  mould  fay,  and  that  Dr.  Lathrop,  and  other 
men  of  erudition,  mould  follow  him,  in  faying,  thefe  dif- 
ferent fprinklings,  in  the  13th  and  21ft  verfes,  refer  to 
bapttfmois,  when,  had  they  looked  three  words  farther, 
they  would  have  found  them  to  be,  hai  dikaiZmafi  farkos, 
the  literal  Englifh  of  which  is,  "  The  ordinances  of  God 
concerning  the  ceremonial  rites  of  bloody  facrifices  !" 
Had  they  looked  into  their  Greek  teftaments,  they 
might,  with  eafe,  have  feen  that  their  argument  would 
not  bear  examination.  Surely,  had  thefe  gentlemen  had 
the  right  of  the  queftion,  they  never  would  have  com- 
pelled the  Apoftle  to  explain  by  the  fprinkling  of  blood, 
what  he  meant  by  bathings  or  warnings  with  water.  Per- 
haps a  more  forced  expofition  of  fcripture  is  feldom  heard. 
Befides,  the  Apoftle  told  them,  by  placing  what  is  tranf- 
lated,  carnal  ordinances,  between  divers  warning  in  the 
.    .  1  oth 


[Serai.  IV.]       of  baptism.  59 

10th,  and  fprinkling  in  the  13th  and  2  [ft  verfes,  that  he 
intended  no  fuch  thing  as  they  fuppofed.  if  I  miftakc 
not,  Mr.  C's 

3d  Argument  is  an  attempt  to  prove  that,  bapto  and 
baptizo  are  ufed  to  fignify  fomething  more  than  to  dip, 
put  into  water,  &c.     When  the  good  man  brought  for- 
ward his  argument    he  forgot — &c. — which  belongs  to 
his    quotation  from  Dr.  Gale,  and  which    includes  im- 
merfion  and  overwhelming,  and   which    comprifes  the 
whole  which  Mr.  C.  has   proved  that  baptizo  fignifies. 
But,  waving  his  forgetfulnefs,  we  will  attend  to  what  he 
fays.     All  which  he  appears  to  do  here  is,  to  mow  that 
bapto,  or  baptizo,   are  ufed  to  warn,   dip   and   wet  with 
fprinkling  the   dew  from   heaven,   and   to  overwhelm. 
That  is,  bapto  fignifies  to  dip,  put  into  water,  wet  with 
the  dew  of  heaven,  &c.  and  baptizo  fignifies  to  dip,  put  in- 
to water  and  overwhelm.     What  is  the  confequence  ? 
According  to  Mr.   C.  it  is   this  :    Becaufe  bapto  is  fome- 
times  ufed  to  fignify  one's  being  wet  with  the  diftilling 
dew  of  heaven,  &c.  therefore  baptizo  fignifies  the  fame 
thing  :  Becaufe  bapto  fignifies  in  one  place  to  warn  with- 
out dipping,  therefore  baptizo   fignifies  to  wafh  without 
dipping  ;    and  becaufe. bapto  is  fometimes  ufed  to  fignify 
to  colour,   or  ftain,  by  afperfion,  or  the  like,   therefore 
baptizo  is  ufed  in  the  fame  fenfe  ;  therefore  fprinkling  is 
authentic    baptifm.      What  evidence,  I  pray  you,  my 
hearers,  is  there  in  all  this  ?     Yes,  what  fhow  or  appear- 
ance of  evidence  is  there  in  all  this  ?     Would  ten  thou- 
fand  fuch  arguments  afford  you  the  lead:  conviction,  or 
gain  your  aiTent,  where  you  had  a  cent  to  lofe  ? 

Every  perfon  of  fenfe,  who  is    acquainted  with  the 
Greek,  would,  generally  fpeaking,  allow  Mr.  C's  premi- 
fes,  that  bapto,  in  different  places,  fignifies  the  applica- 
tion 


6o      the  mode  and  subjects     [Serm.  IV.] 

tion  of  water  in  different  ways  ;  and  that  baptlzo  fome- 
times  fignifies  overwhelming.  Bat  no  perfon,  who  un- 
derftands  the  matter,  will  allow  his  conclufion,  for  it 
hath  no  connection  with  the  premifes. 

His  argument,  in  plain  Englifh,  is  this :  The  verb  to 
wet,  fometimes  fignuies  to  fprinkle,  as  in  a  heavy  dew 
we  fay  it  fprinkles,  or  wets  ;  the  verb  to  overwhelm  fome- 
times fignifies  to  cover  all  over  with  water,  as  is  the 
beach,  by  the  flowing  of  the  tide.  Of  confequence,  to 
overwhelm  is  to  fprinkle  ;  therefore  to  fprinkle  is  authen- 
tic overwhelming,  or  bapti.fm.  The  fallacy  of  this  ar- 
gument is  eaiily  detected,  and  with  the  fame  eafe  may  any 
one  who  knows  the  different  fignifications  ot  bapto  and 
baptize,  uncover  the  fallacy  and  complete  inconclufivenefs 
of  Mr.  C's  argument. 

The  plain  truth  is,  he  hath  done  his  fide  a  difTervice, 
for  by  fearching  he  hath  found,  and  implicitly  acknow- 
ledges, though  not  intentionally,  and  (I  fuppofe)  with- 
out  knowing  it,  that  no  inftance  can  be  found  where  bap- 
tize* fignifieth  the  application  of  water  by  fprinkling,  or 
any  other  way,  which  does  not  imply  overwhelming,  or 
waihing,  that  is,  a  ceremonaa  wailiing,  which  is  bathing, 
or  putting  into  water.         But — 

4.  There  is  another  argument  upon  which  Mr. 
Cleaveland  chiefly  dwells,  and  upon  which  he  appears 
greatly  to  reft  the  defence  of  his  whole  caufe.  It  is  his 
ftrong  hold  againft  immerfion,  and  for  fprinkling  ;  and 
it  is  this  :  Baptifm  with  water,  or  baptlfm  as  a  Chrif- 
tian  ordinance  is  to  fignify  Chrift's  baptizing  with  the 
Holy  Ghoft.  I  have  no  where  found  that  he  hath  prov- 
ed that  this  is  the  great  and  principal  thing  which  bap- 
tifm fignifies  j  nor  do  1  by  any  means  obtain  conviction 
(bat  the  mode  of  baptizing  is  to  be  determined,  with 

certainty, 


[Serm.IV.]  of  baptism.  gi 

certainty,  from  this  particular  thing,  even  mould  it  be 
granted  that  one  important  defign  of  baptifm  is  to  fig- 
nify  Chrift's  baptizing  with  the  Holy  Ghoft.      But,  a-. 
Mr.  C.  feems  to  depend  more  upon  the  ftrength  of  this 
argument  than  he  does  upon  the  ftrength  of  any  other, 
we  will  grant,  for  the  prefent,  that  baptifm  with  water 
was  appointed  particularly,  if  not  mainly,  to  fet  forth 
the  mode  in  which  Chrift  baptizeth  with  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
Now  the  great  queftion  is,  In  what  manner,  or  mode, 
by  fprinkling,  or  overwhelming,  did  Chrift  Jefus  baptize  with 
the  Holy  Ghoft  ?    ~Mr.  C.  in  his  treatife,    replies  abun- 
dantly,  by  fpiinkling,  certainly.  We  will  put  this  fub - 
ject  to  the  teft,  by  inftancing  the  mo  ft  remarkable  feafon 
which  ever  was,  in  which  Chrift,  in  a  moft  remarkable, 
public    and  aftonifhing  degree,  was  baptizing  with  the 
Holy  Ghoft.     I  prefume,  were  Mr.  C.  now  alive,  he 
could  not,  with  any  face  of  propriety,  object,  againft  tak- 
ing as  a  fample  for  the  whole,  the  moft  remarkable  in- 
ilance  which  ever  hath  been,  and,  perhaps,  which  ever 
will  be,  exhibited  of  Chrift's  baptizing  with  the  Holy 
Ghoft.     I  am  willing  to  fubmit  the  flrong  argument  of 
Mr.  C.    to  this  great  fample  of  Chrift's  baptizing  with  the 
Holy  Ghoft.     Are  not  all   you,  my  hearers,  willing  to 
leave  the  weight  of  his  argument  to  fuch  a  decifion  ?    I 
am  perfuaded,  you  all  fay,  Yes. 

We  will  then  bring  his  argument  to  the  propofed  teft, 
The  inftance  which. we  will  take,  for  furely  it  is  the 
moft  aftonifhing  one,  is  that  which  Chrift  foretold,  as  re- 
lated, Ads  i.  5  :  "  John  truly  baptized  with  water,  but  ye 
fhall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghoft,  not  many  days 
hence."  The  accomplishment  of  this  prediction  and  pro- 
rnife  we  have  related,  in  the  four  iirft  verfes  of  the  next 
chapter,  It  is  tfrus  :  When  the  day  of  Pentecoft  was 
J  fully 


6 2  THE   MODE  AN  SUBJECT    [SeiTTi.IV.] 

fully  come,  they  were  all  with  one  accord,  in  one  place. 
And  fuddenly  there  was  a  found  fiom  heaven,  as  of  a 
ruining,  mighty  wind,  and  it  filled  all  the  houfe  where 
they  were  fitting.  And  there  appeared  unto  them  clo- 
ven tongues,  like  as  of  fire,  and  it  fat  upon  each  of  them. 
And  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghoft. 

Here  was,  truly,  a  wonderful  inftance  of  Chrifl's  bap- 

with  the  Holy  Ghoft. 
Here,   i.     All  the  houfe  was  filled  with    the  found, 
wind  Gr  Spirit  from  heaven.     2.  Cloven  tongues,  like  as 
of  fire,  and  it  fat  upon  each  of  them.      3.  They  were  all 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghoft. 

We  here  fee  that  they  were  all  overwhelmed,  for  all 
the  houfe,  where  they  were  fitting,  was  filled,  and  not  on- 
ly were  they  all  overwhelmed,  but  they  were  alio  filled. 
It  is  left  with  you  to  determine,  what  becomes  of  Mr. 
C^  argument,  upon  which  he  lays  fo  much  ftrefs,  and 
of  which  he  fpeaks  with  fo  much  confidence,  and  not  un- 
tvequently  with  an  air  of  triumph.  Is  there  a  word 
uboutfprinkVmg  in  any  part  of  it:  or  is  there  any  thing 
v  hicb  looks  like  it :  Does  it  not  look  considerably  like 
immerfion,  or  overwhelming  ?  At  leaft,  does  it  not  favour 
immerfion,  or  overwhelming,  as  much  as  it  dees  fprink- 
.  If  fo,  then  it  proves  nothing  for  fprinkling.  It  is 
left  with  you  to  determine  which  fide  it  favours. 

It  is  pofilble,  however,  that  fome  of  you  may  fuppofe, 
Mr  C.  might  intend  that  baptifm,  if  it  may  be  {o 
called,  which  the  Holy  Ghoft  rninifters,  when  it  creates 
the  foul  anew.  To  this  fuppoution,  I  will  juft  obferve, 
"  The  wind  bloweth  (faith  Chrift)  where  it  lifteth,  and 
thou  heareft  the  found  thereof,  but  canft  not  tell  whence 
it  cometh,  or  whither  it  goetb  ;  fo  is  every  one  that  is  born 
of  the  Spirit."    Would  it  not  be  extreme  folly  to  fuppofe 

thaj 


•Scrm.IV.]  of  baptism.  63 

that  Water  baptifm  reprefents  the  operations  of  the  Spirifc, 
•.vh:n  none  can  know  whence  it  cometh,  or  whither  it 
goeth  ?  It  may  reprefent  the  effect  of  the  Spirit's  opera- 
tions, and  it  is  called,  a  being  born,  not  fprinkled,  of  the 
Spirit. 

5.  In  reading  Mr.  C's  defence  of  fprinkli.ng,  as  being 
authentic  baptifm,  I  noticed  but  one  more  diftinct  arc:u- 
ment,  and  it  is  this  : 

'•  i-ipio,  baptizo,  loudjbrecho, pluno,  or apopluno,  all  fignif J 
to  warn."  The  conclufion  which  he  draws  from  this  is, 
in  fhort,  the  following  :  To  baptize  is  not  to  immerfe,  but 
to  fprinkle.  I  fee  no  connection  between  his  premife  and 
conclufion.  Befides,  Mr.  C.  tells  us,  page  So,  that  the 
Jews,  by  adhering  to  the  tradition  of  the  elders,  ob£n ■•. 
ed  the  wafning  of  hands,  and  divers  other  things,  as  a  re- 
ligious ceremony.  Now,  if  all  the  words,  which  Mr.  C. 
mentions,  fignify  to  wafh,  and  yet  fome  of  them  fignify 
common  walhing,  and  another,  and  that  laptizo,  figni- 
fies  ceremonial  warning,  and  that  be  to  put  into  water,  as 
is  the  cafe,  what  does  his  argument  prove  ?  It  proves 
juft  nothing  to  his  point.  Ha.d  he  proved,  what  he  hath 
not  even  attempted,  that  they  all  fignify  the  fame  kind 
cf  warning,  and  that  the  warning  fignined  was  not  immer- 
fion,  but  fprinkiin?  only*  then  his  conclufion  would  have 
followed,  that  -  is  baptifm. 

IF  tl  nil  not  fbpport  Mr.  Cleave- 

iand's  theory;  it  muft  all  come  down,  for  they  are  the 
jfubftance,  if  hot  all  the  arguments,  which  he  hath  adduc- 
ed, and  I  prefume  better  cannot  be  found. 

I  thought  to  have  taken  Dr.  Lathrop's   arguments 
upon  the  fame  fubjecY,  into  cbnftderation  ;  but  upon  re- 
examining them  I  find  rfiere  is  ho   material  diffimilartty 
en  his  ana  Mr.  C's  ;  they  therefore- both  Hand  or 

fall 


64  THE   MODE  AN  SUBJECT    [Semi.  IV /} 

fall  together.    A  word  or  two  however  may  be  here  ad- 
ded. 

Dr.  Lathrop  afftfres  lis  that  Cyprian,  who  wrote  with- 
in about  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  the  apoftles, 
ffteaktng  of  fprinkiing,  fays,  M  In  the  facrament  offalva- 
tion  (that  is  baptifra)  when  necejity  compels,  the  fhorteft 
ways  of  tranfacting  divine  matters  do,  by  God's  grace, 
confer  the  whole  benefit. "  The  Doctor  adds,  The  an- 
cients' ptaSiJed  hwnrfion.'"* 

By  this  quotation  of  the  Doctor's  from  Cyprian,  ana 
confefTion  of  his  own,  being  put  together,  it  appears,  at 
once,  that  all  his  preceding  arguments  are  erroneous. 
For  Cyprian  does  not  intimate  that  fprinkiing  was  from 
heaV&n,  bat  fays  it  was  from  neceflity.  Befides,  his  cal- 
the  facrament  of  falvatiGn,  (hows  Us  the  er- 
ror, whence  the  neceffity  of  fprinkiing  came,  namely,  a 
belief  that  the  ordinance  of  baptifm  was  neceffary  to  fal- 
vation.  This  being  the  cafe,  and  it  alfo  being  true,  as 
the  Doctor  acknowledges,  that  the  ancients  practifed  im- 
merfion,  fave  when  neceffity  compelled,  as  they  errone- 
oufly  fuppofed,  the  confequence  is  fairly  this,  that  im- 
merfion  is  from  heaven,  the  ancients  being  judges  ;  and 
that  fprinkiing  is  from  men,  from  neceffity,  or  rather  from 
error. 

I  thought  to  have  added  no  more  upon  the  Doctor's 
mode  of  Chriftian  baptifm.  However,  one  argument 
ought  to  to  be  taken  out  of  his  hands,  left  it  mifguide 
forae  of  his  readers.  He  tells  us  that  baptize,  in  Mark 
vii.  and  Luke  xi.  is  ufed  to  fignify  the  application  of  wa- 
ter to  the  hands.  The  only  anfwer  needed  is,  It  is  not 
thus  faid,  in  Mark,  cr  Luke,  or  in  any  other  part  of  the 

Bible, 
*  Page:  24,  25. 


[Serm.IV.]         of  eapti .•:■!.  65 

Bible.    When  the  Doctor  fhn.ll  re-examine  the  pafiages, 
he  will,  probably,  fee  the  mii'take. 

Will  gentlemen,  and  Chriftians  too,  forever  contend 
againft  immetjion,  the  inftitution  of  heaven,  and  forfprink- 
ling,  which  hath  nothing  but  en  or  and  corrjen:jn:e  for  its 
fupport ! 


?  2 


C  M  ] 
THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS 

OF 

BAPTISM. 


SERMON    V.. 


MATTHEW  XXVIII.  19,  20. 

Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name. 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghofi  ;  teach- 
ing them  to  clferve  all  things  whatfoever  I  have  commanded 
you  :  And,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alwayt  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  world,     Amen. 

I  HAVE  confidence  in  you,  brethren,  that  ye  will 
keep  the  ordinances,  as  I  fhall  deliver  them  to  you,. 
and  prove  them  to  be  from  the  word  of  the  Lord. 

One  thing  I  would  ftill  know  of  you,  my  brethren, 
whether  you,  like  the  more  noble  Bereans,  will  receive 
the  word  with  readine**,  fearc^ing  the  fcriptures,  daily, 
that  you  may  know  the  truth  of  what  you  hear. 

You  will  bear  in  mind,  that  whofoever  lpveth  father 
or  mother,  houfe  or  lands,  wife  or  children,  more  than 
Chrift,  is  not  worthy  of  him.  If,  through  affection  for 
any  of  thefe,  you  mould  refufe  to  obey  Chrift,  it  will 
be  too  evident  that  you  love  them  more  than  you  da 
hiirij  and  fo  are  not  worthy  of  him. 

Should 


[Serm.  V.  of  baptism.  6j 

Should  you  love  any  erroneous  belief  and  practice 
more  than  you  do  the  truths  of  Chrift,  you  will,  fo  far  as 
you  manifeft  it,  prove  that  you  are  not  worthy  of  him. 

Should  you  defpife  me  for  delivering  and  vindicating 
the  truths  of  Chrift  to  you,  you  will,  at  the  fame  time, 
defpife  him.  You  will  therefore  give  good  heed  to 
what  you  fay,  and  to  what  you  do,  in  this  matter  :  for  if 
it  be  of  God,  it  will  ft  and,  and  none  can  overthrow  it. 
It  is  hoped  none  of  you  will  be  found  fighting  againft 
God. 

This  difcourfe  may  contain  a  review  of  what  we  have- 
paffed  over,  together  with  fome  application.  In  my 
firft  difcourfe  to  you  on  the  fubjecl,  which  we  have  ftill 
before  us,  the  following  are  the  principal  things,  to 
which  we  attended. 

1.  I  propofed  a  number  of  plain  traths,  confidered 
to  be  as  firft  principles,  for  your  attention. 

i.  Baptifm  is  a  pofitive  inftitution,  about  which  we. 
can  know  nothing,  as  to  its  being  a  Chriftian  ordinance, 
but  from  what  Chrift,  and  thofe  infpired  by  his  Spirit, 
have  taught  us. 

2.  All,  which  we  are  required  to  believe  and  pracliie, 
with  refpecl  to  the  Chriftian  ordinance  of  baptifm,  is  de- 
clared to  us  by  Jefus  Chrift,  and  by  his  Forerunner  and 
Apoftles. 

3.  When  Jefus  Chrift  firft  inftituted  the  ordinance  of" 
baptifm,  he  no   doubt  delivered  his  mind  fo  clearly  and 

fully  upon  the  fubject,  that  his  difciples  and  immediate 
followers  underftood  and  pra<5tifed,  as  he  would  have 
them. 

4.  Every  thing  which  hath,  by  the  precepts  and  com- 
mandments of  men,  been  added  fmce,  is  afide  from  the- 
Qr.dinan.ce,  and  makes  no  part  of  it* 

5.     No, 


THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS       [SciTVi.  V.j 

5.  No  man,  nor  body  cf  men,  hath  any  more  autho- 
rity to  add  to,  or  diminiih  from,  this  ordinance,  than 
they  have  to  inftitute  a  new  one  and  call  it  Chrift's. 

6.  Whenever,  and  wherever,  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tifm  is  fo  changed,  as  to  lofe  the  intent  of  the  inftitution, 
then  and  there  the  ordinance  is  loft,  and  becomes  no 
Chriftian  ordinance  at  all. 

II.  I  defined  for  your  information  a  number  of  words 
which  appertain  to  the  ordinance  of  baptifm. 

We  found  all  thefe  to  be  juft  as  we  might  expect  to 
have  found  them,  provided  immerfion  be  baptifm,  or  the 
mode  in  which  it  is  adminiftered. 

Bapiificflon,  a  place  in  which  to  wafh  the  body.  Bap- 
it/in,  immerfion,  or  dipping  one  all  o?er  in  water.  Baptl- 
zo  f.gniries  to  dip,  or  wafh,  the  body  all  over  ta  water.. 
Loud  (a  word  feveral  times  ufed  in  reference  to,  or  fig- 
nifying  the  fame,  as  baptifm)  is,  to  warn,  to  rinfe,.  to 
bathe,  kc.  Thea 

III.  I  fet  before  you  all  the  texts  in  the  New  Tene- 
ment which  relate  either  to  the  baptifm  of  John,  or  to 
that  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift.  In  the  next  place,  I 
propofed  for  your  meditation  the  pa/Tages  of  fcripture 
where  wafning  is  mentioned,  and  the  Greek  words 
which  are  ufed.  I  then  called  your  attention  to  thofe 
pa/Tages  in  which  fprinkling  is  mentioned,  and  to  the  Greek, 
words  which  are  made  ufe  of.  Lajlly>  I  read  to  you  thofe 
fcritpures  where  to  dip  is  mentioned,  and  alio  the  Greek, 
words  which  are  rendered  to  dip. 

In  not  one  of  the  places,  where  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tifm is  brought  to  view,  do  we  find  one  word  about 
fprinkling,  or  any  thing  which  looks  like  it.  In  every 
place,  where  to  dip  is  mentioned,  we  find  a  near  relation 

to-, 


[Serm.  V.]  of  eaftism.  C$ 

to  baptifm  ;  every  word  which  is  ufed,  coming  from 
the  fame  root  or  theme,  from  which  bdpttzo  comes. 

As  to  the  word  ivcifi,  we  find  no  relation  between  the 
words  which  fignify  to  waft,  and  thofe  which  fignify  to 
baptize,  fave  in  thofe  few  inftances  where  the  meaning 
is  to  waih  the  body,  or  put  into  v/ater,  or  waih  a  thing 
all  over.  When  we  come  to  the  Greek  words  which 
fignify  to  fprinkle,  we  find  no  fimilarity,  or  likenefs,  be- 
tween them  and  the  word  to  baptize. 

In' all  the  places  where  baptizing  is  mentioned,  not  & 
.  word  is  ufed  which  looks  like  fprinkling  ;  where  fprink- 
ling  is  mentioned,  there  is  not  a  word  ufed  which  ap- 
pears like  baptifm. 

In  my  next  difcourfe,  I  produced  my  evidence,  that 
my  definitions  of  baptifm  and  to  baptize  were  accurate 
and  juft.  I  dwelt  largely  upon  this  evidence,  for  the 
merit  of  the  whole  fubjecl  depends  greatly,  if  not  entire- 
ly, upon  'he  determinate  meaning  of  the  words,  which 
our  Lord  ufed  in  the  infiitution  of  the  ordinance,  and 
when  fpeaking  of  it.  When  we  know  the  determinate 
fignification  of  his  words,  we  know  what  he  fays,  and 
what  we  ought  to  underftand  by  the  words  which  he 
ufes.  The  evidence  which  I  produced,  was,  in  fhort, 
the  following. 

i.  The  Greek  Lexicon,  Battel  worth's  Concordance, 
Bailey's  and  Entick's  dictionaries,  bear  their  united  tefti- 
mony,  that  the  plain,  literal,  and  common,  if  not  univer- 
fal,  fignification  of  the  words  bapiifm  and  to  baptize,  is 
immerfion  and  to  immerfs,  bury  in  water,  to  dip,  or  to 
plunge,  a  perfon  all  over  in  water.  Here  are  four  learn- 
ed and  pofitive  witneffes  to  the  fame  thing.  Indeed, 
they   give   no   other  fignification,  fave   it  be   to  wafh, 

which 


7©        thk  mode  and  subjects     [Serin.  V.] 

which  we  have  fecn  intends  a  ceremonial  wafting,  which 
is  to  put  into  water,  or  to  bathe. 

2.  I  repeated  foine  of  the  attendant  or  circumftan- 
tial  facts,  which  have  relation  to  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tifm.  John  baptized  in  the  river  Jordan.  He  was  bap- 
tizing in  Enon,  near  to  Saiirn,  becaufe  there  was  much 
inciter  there.  The  word  bapt'ijlery  fgnifies  a  place  in 
which  to  wafh  the  body  all  over.  Baptifm  fignifies  to 
dip,  to  plunge,  immerfe,  or  to  wafn  the  body  all  over 
in  water.  Buptizer  ilgnines  one  who  dips,  plunge*,  or 
wafhes  the  body  all  over  in  water.  To  baptize  iignifies 
to  immerfe,  plunge  under  water,  or  under  any  other 
liquid  thing,  or  to  dip,  or  to  put  into  water.  To  be 
baptized  is  to  be  plunged,  immerfed,  or  wafted  all  over 
in  water. 

Thefe  things  being  true,  is  it  not  eafy  to  determine 
what  the  ordinance  of  baptifm  fignifies  ? 

3.  The  words  baptljmos  and  bapiizo  have  two,  and  on- 
ly two,  tranllations  in  the  New  Teftament.  Thefe  two 
are  laptifm  and  <wajb\ng.  Where  their  meaning  is  warn- 
ing, or  where  they  are  thus  tranflated,  it  is  a  ceremonial 
wafhing,  which  is  to  put  into  water,  or  bathe  the  fkfh 
in  water,  as  you  may  fee,  Levit.  xi.  32,  Numb,  xix.  19. 
When  they  are  tranflated  baptifm,  or  to  baptize,  the  thing 
intended  is  the  baptifm  of  water,  of  fire,  of  fuirerings,  or 
of  the  Holy  Ghoft. 

4.  I  brought  forward  feveral  noted  witneiles,  to  bear 
their  united  teftimony,  that  I  had  given  a  juft  definition 
of  the  word  bapiizo  :  thefe  were,  John  Calvin,  Zanchius 
and  Dr.  Owen. 

In  the  next  place  1  mentioned  to  you  that  Paul  re- 
peatedly ufes  the  word/ozw,  where  he  means  the  fame- 
thing   as  where  he  ufes  the  word  bapiizo  ;    that  he  ufes 


[Serin.  V.]  of  baptism.  yi 

tbefe  words  as  fignifying  the  fame  thing.  Whereas, 
Iou5  iignifies  to  wain  and  to  bathe  the  body  in  water, 
and  confequently  baptizo  means  the  fame. 

Laftly,  I  brought  forward  Paul's  expofition  of  the 
word  baptifm,  and  mowed  you,  that  he  expounds  it:,  as 
being  buried  with  Chritl  in  baptifm,  or  immerfion. 

In  my  difcourfe,  which  I  next  preached  to  yen,  I 
produced  evidence,  that  the  apoftles  and  primitive 
Chriftians,  not  only  undenlood  the  matter  as  I  have  de- 
fcribed  it,  but  pracHfed  accordingly. 

In  fupport  of  the  apoftles*  practice,  I  obferved,  that 
the  word  leuu,  of  determinate  fignification,  which  they 
ufed  to  fignify  their  practice,  or  what  was  done  by  them 
in  baptifm,  determines  or  fixes  their  pracrice  to  be  im- 
merfion. I  farther  obferved,  that  they  were  commanded 
to  practife  i>aptum,  or  to  baptize,  as  I  have  defcribecTit  ; 
and  that  the  fcriptures  teftify,  that  they  thus  did  ;  and 
alfo  that  the  apoflles  fay,  the  mode  of  baptizing  in  their 
day  was,  by  burying  the  fubjects,  in  baptifm. 

For  witneiTes  that  the  primitive  church  practifed  im- 
merfion, we  have  Moiheim,  Bailey,  Calvin,  Baxter,  and 
many  others,  all  agreeing  in  this  one  point,  that  the 
mode  of  baptizing,  or  baptifm  i:  elf,  among  the  ancients, 
was  immerfion.  We  have  alfo  evidence  that  the  church 
thus  pracHfed,  for  thirteen  hundred  years,  fome  extreme 
cafes  excepted.  Moreover  we  have  evidence  that  all 
the  church,  in  Europe,  in  Afia,  and  in  Africa,  fave  that 
part  of  it,  which  is  now,  or  hath  been,  under  the  be- 
wildering power  of  the  popes,  do  now,  and  ever  have, 
praflifed  immerfion. 

BeiiJes  all  this,  the  very  reafons  which  the  Faedobap- 
tjflbs  affign,  why  they  have  laid  afide  immerfion,  (how 
that  fprinkling  is  not  commanded  by  the  Lord,  but  is 
tooght  by  the  precepts  of  men. 

You 


J2  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS     [Seim.  V/J 

You  fee  we  have  an  ocean  of  witnefTes  and  evidence 
againft  us  ;  and  all,  or  nighly  fo,  from  our  own  denomi- 
nation of  Chriitians.  What  a  world  of  evidence  might 
we  reafonably  expect  that  the  Baptifts  would  be  able 
to  bring  for  themfelves  and  againft  us  and  err  practice, 
would  we  hear  them,  when  our  own  fi  '  ng  fp  much 
againft  their  own  practice  and  for  the  Baptifts  !  Be- 
fides,  this  evidence  appears  to  (land  in  its  full  force 
againlt  us,  there  being  no  ©ppofite  evidence  to  weaken 
its  force.  Indeed  we  are,  in  this  matter,  much  like  cri* 
minals,  who  plead,  at  lead  the  leaders  of  them,  guilty 
to  the  whole  indictment.  However,  feme  have  made 
a  full  plea  of  not  guilty,  but  in  part.  At  the  fame 
time,  numbers  of  them,  in  their  plea,  have  convicted 
themfelves  of  being  guilty  throughout. 

In  the  laft  diicourie,  after  holding  to  your  view  the 
purport,  end  and  defign  of  baptifm,  I  examined  one 
of  their  pleas  of,  not  guilty.  But  what  evidence  did 
the  good  man  give  of  his  innocence  ?  Can  the  largefl 
ftretch  of  charity  allow  more  than  this,  he  knew  not  what 
he  did?  Was  truth  ever  brought  to  fuch  (Iraits  as  to 
require  to  be  fupported  by  fuch  arguments  \ 

APPLICATION, 

FROM  a  review  of  the  whole  fubject,  the  following 
appear  to  flow  as  neceflary  confequences. 

i.  Whether  we  allow  immerfion  to  be  the  fcripture 
mode  of  baptifm,  and  the  only  one  which  it  requires,  or 
not ;  one  thing  is  clear,  that  we  have  as  much  evidence 
©f  its  being  fo,  as  we  could  have,  on  fuppontion  that  it 
were. 

The 


fSerm.  V.]  of  baptism.  j$ 

The  fcriptures  declare,  in  various  ways,  that  this  is 
the  mode,  and  mention  no  other.  The  fcriptures  ex- 
pound themfelves  to  mean  immerfion,  or  burying. 

We  find  not  a  Tingle  trace,  in  all  the  fcriptures,  where 
the  ordinance  is  fpoken  of,  of  any  thing  fhort  cf  immer- 
fion being  mentioned. 

Good  men,  who  are  fkllful  in  the  true  import  cf 
words,  have  agreed,  that  the  plain,  literal  and  accurate 
meaning  of  the  word,  to  baptize,  is  to  immerfe  or  bury 
in  water,  &c.  Nor  have  any  been  able  to  fhow  that  in 
any  part  of  God's  word  it  hath  any  opponte  mean- 
ing or  application. 

The  church  of  Jefus  Chrift  have,  in  all  ages,  under- 
stood the  matter  of  baptifm  as  I  have  explained  it.  We 
mult,  however,  except,  for  the  lad  three  or  five  hundred 
years,  many  of  thofe  branches  of  the  church,  which  have 
been,  or  are  now,  under  the  jurifdiction  of  the  church  of 
Rome.  The  purport,  end  and  defign  of  baptifm  alfo  in- 
timate to  us,  that  this  is  the  manner  of  baptizing. 

Indeed,  if  there  be  any  words  in  the  Greek  language 
py  which  the  Lord  of  the  Baptifmal  Inftitution  could 
have  told  us  what  he  intended,  the  words  ufed  do  this, 
For  there  are  no  two  words  in  the  language,  or,  at  leafi, 
none  which  have  come  to  our  knowledge,  which  fo  lite- 
rally, fo  uniformly,  and  fo  exprefsly,  fignify  to  immerfe, 
or  warn,  or  bathe  the  body  in  water,  as  do  the  words 
baptizdy  and  hud.  Hence,  if  immerfion  be  baptifm,  the 
Lord,  if  I  may  fo  fay,  could  not  have  told  us  of  it  in 
the  New  Teftament,  if  the  words,  chofen  by  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  do  not  afford  this  information.  If  baptifm  be 
immerfion,  then  the  two  mod:  f Likable  words  have  been 
chofen  to  exprefs  it  ;  but  if  fprinkling  be  baptifm,  two 
Words  which  were  farther  from  the  point  could  not  have 
G  been 


74        THE  mode  and  subjects     [Serm.  V.I 

been  found.  We  find  no  inftance,  in  the  bible,  where 
they  are  thus  ufed.  In  fhort,  no  iwq  words,  which  men- 
tion the  application  of  water  in  any  way,  are  farther 
from  the  idea  of  fprinkling,  than  are  tbofe  two  which  are 
ufed  when  baptifm  is  intended.  It  therefore  appears, 
that  whilil  we  have  ufed  fprinkling  for  baptifm,  we  have 
departed  from  the  plain  and  primitive  import  of  the 
words  ufed,  as  far  as  we  could  without  a  complete  omif* 
Gfojt  of  water.  None  can  be  at  a  farther  remove  from 
the  initiated,  fcripture  baptifm,  than  we  have  been,  with- 
out denying  it  in  whole. 

2.  Error  is  very  insinuating  and  deceiving.  Surely 
it  hath' proved  thus  in  the  fubjecY  of  fprinkling. 

Cyprian,  who  wrote  within  about  a  hundred  and  fifty 
years  of  the  apoftles,  fp'eaking  of  fprinkling,  fays,  as  quo- 
ted by  Dr.Lathrop,  "  In  the  facrament  of  fahatiofi,  (i.  e, 
baptifm.)  when  ncceffity  compels,  the  fnorteit.  ways  of  tranf- 
acting  divine  matters,  do,  by  God's  grace,  confer  the 
whole  benefit."'  Here  we  fee  the  origin  of  fprinkling 
for  baptifm. 

It  was  an  early  error  in  the  church,  that  baptifm  was 
neceffary  to  falvation.  Hence,  when  it  was  judged,  that 
life  would  be  endangered  by  immernon,  the  perfon  muft 
either  lofe  his  .Life  by  baptifm,  or  lofe  his  foul  for  want 
of  being  baptized,  or  fome  other  mode  rnuft  be  invented. 
Or,  if  the  fick  perfon  was  nighly  dying,  he  muG:  be  bap- 
tized without  immerfion,  or  probably  lofe  his  foul,  before 
he  could  be  conveyed  where  the  ordinance  might  be  ad- 
ministered. Under  thefe  circumftances,  man's  fruitful 
invention  devifed  fprinkling  a-  a  fubftitute  for  baptifm. 
Here  is  the  origin  of  fprinkling,  as  the  ancients  have 
fold  us. 

In  procefs  of  time,  found  ladies  and  gentlewomen  wifli- 

ed 


- 

[Serin.  V.]  of  baptism.  75 

ed  to  have  fpnnkling  fubft.i:uted  for  baptifm  in  their  be- 
half ;  afterwards  others,  till  at  laft,  it  became  a  general 
cuftom  in  many  of  the  European  nations.  In  the  mean 
time,  the  Baptifts,  and  many  others,  objected  againft  the 
practice}  as  being  contrary  from  the  command  of"  Chrift. 
Hence  arofe  the  neceffity  of  defending  it,  or  elfe  having 
it  conlidered  as  a  departure  from  the  faith.  Matters  be- 
ing thus,  the  invention  of  many  was  in  full  exercife  to 
defend  fprinkling,  as  being  of  divine  origin.  A  number 
of  ceremonial  rites  of  the  Levitical  law  were  preft  in- 
to this  fervice  ;  feveral  paiTages  of  the  New  Tefta- 
ment  were  wrefted  from  their  natural  meaning  to  a  forced 
interpretation  ;  and  out  of  the  motley  mixture  were 
formed  what  were  ftyled  arguments  ;  but  fuch  arguments 
can  ftand  no  longer  than  while  prejudice  lives  to  fup- 
port  them. 

However,  the  mod  difagreeable  part  is,  a  good  num- 
ber of  very  pious  and  learned  men  have  been  carried  a- 
way  in  this  whirlpool  of  deception.  Their  being  deceived 
has  deceived  others  ;  and  we  are,  or  have  been,  among 
the  deceived. 

3.  Sprinkling  is  not  from  heaven,  but  of  men.  This 
too,  if  I  miftake  not,  by  the  fully  and  fairly  implied  con- 
ceffion  of  thofe,  who  have  written  in  its  defence. 

If  from  heaven,  why,  in  the  fir  ft  place,  ufe  it  only  when 
neceffity  compelled  !  as  was  fuppofed  to  fave  fouls  from 
hell?  If  from  heaven,  why,  afterwards,  ufe  it  only  in 
cafes  of  lefs  urgent  neceffity?  If  from  heaven,  why 
bring  in  the  coldnefs  of  the  country  as  an  excufe  for  uf- 
ing  it  ?  If  from  heaven,  why  not  mentioned  in  the  in- 
ft  i  tut  ion  of  the  ordinance,  or  in  fome  pallage  where  men- 
tion is  made  of  baptifm,  or  in  fome  other  place  in  all 
the  writings  of  the  Evangelifb  and  Apoftles  ?    If  from 

heaven, 


j5  THE   MODE   AND  SUEJECTS     [Serm.   V.J 

heaven,  vsfaf  not  intimated  as  being  fo,  by  thofe  who 
firft  introduced  it  ?  If  fpr  inkling  be  from  heaven,  why 
fo  many  inccnclufve  arguments  in  its  fupport  ?  Is  the 
word  of  God  deficient  in  this  particular,  and  hath  it  re- 
vealed what  cannot  be  fupported  by  it  ?  If  from  hea- 
ven, why  not  commanded,  enjoined,  required,  or  io 
much  as  once  hinted,  as  being  the  mode  of  a  gofpel  or- 
dinance, in  any  part  of  that  revelation  which  we  have 
received  from  heaven  ? 

4.  Another  conf^quence  is,  That  the  fcripture  mode 
of  baptifm  is  immerfion,  and  for  ought  we  know,  the  on- 
ly mode,  and  neceff.iry  to  the  administration  of  the  ordi- 
nance. 

This  is  the  plain,  literal,  fcripture  fenfe  of  baptifm, 
therefor.-  this  is  the  plain,  literal,  fcripture  mode.  The 
icriptures  mention  no  other  mode,  therefore  this  may  be, 
and  is,  for  ought  appears,  the  only  fcripture  mode. 

5.  From  what  we  have  gone  over,  one  thing  appears 
certain  :  That  Chrift  never  commanded  any  of  his  fol- 
lowers to  adminifter  any  gofpel  ordinance  by  fprinkling, 
and,  at  the  fame  time,  to  fay,  I  baptise.  For  to  do  thus 
would  be  to  command  them  to  do  one  thhg,  and  to  fay 
that  they  did  another. 

To  fprinkk  is  to  raith?,  which  hath  no  vifible  connec- 
tion with  baptifm.  To  fay,  Chrift  commanded  his  difci- 
ples  to  rantize,  and,  at  the  fame  time,  to  fay,  We  baptize, 
is  what  no  Chrillian  would,  knowingly,  be  willing  to  fay. 
This  would,  if  I  miftake  not,  be  making  Chrift'  the 
minifter  of  fin.  But  what  I  have  long,  implicitly,  though 
jgnorantly,  done,  others  may  ftill  do. 

6.  Another  confequence  is,  cuftom  hath  great  influ- 
ence upon  the  human  mind.  It  furely  hath  upon  us. 
For,  even  after  we  have  full  evidence  that  fprinkling, 

for 


LSerm.  V.]  of  baptism.  77 

for  baptifm,  is  not  from  heaven,  but  was  the  offspring  of 
error,  and  foftered  by  the  dark  ages  of  Papiftical  ufur- 
pation,  we  are  hardly  perfuaded  to  renounce  it.  But,  my 
brethren,  my  expectation  is,  that  after  you  have  fearched 
your  Bibles  through  and  through,  and  find  nothing  of  it 
there,  you  will  give  it  up. 

Should  the  Lord  inquire  of  us,  why  we  fubflitute 
fprinkling  for  baptizing,  and  fay  unto  us,  Whence  is  this 
fubftitution,  from  heaven,  or  of  men  ?  Would  there  not 
be  great  reafonings  among  us  what  anfwer  to  return  ? 
Should  we  fay,  From  heaven  ;  He  might  reply,  How  do 
you  prove  it?  Should  we  fay,  Of  men,  then  might  he  afk, 
Why  do  ye  pra&ife  it  ? 

7.  Another  confequence  is,  we  have  the  fame  kind 
of  evidence,  and  perhaps  more  of  it,  that  baptifm  is  to  be 
adminiftered  by  imrnerfion,  or  dipping,  or  putting  into 
•water,  than  we  have  to  fuppcrt  any  other  gofpel  precept, 
or  practice.  The  evidence  which  we  have,  in  either  cafe, 
is  the  fignification  of  the  words  which  are  ufed  to  point 
out  the  thing  to  be  believed,  or  praclifed. 

Were  it  not  for  the  influence  of  habit,  or  cuftom,  you 
would  as  readily  and  naturally  conclude,  from  the  very 
words  ufed,  that  imrnerfion,  or  dipping,  or  warning  the 
"body  in  water,  was  the  meaning  of  baptifm,  as  that  a  re- 
ligious eating  of  bread,  and  drinking  of  wine,  in  comme- 
moration of  our  dying  Lord,  was  the  way  to  obferve  the 
Lord's  fupper, 

8-  We  appear  to  be  brought  to  this  dilemma  :  We 
mull  either  embrace  the  tradition  of  the  elders,  for  the 
rule  of  one  part  of  our  practice  ;  or  we  muft  no  more 
fprinkle,  and  call  it  baptifm. 

9.    Another  confequence  is,  Thofe,  who  firrVintrodue- 

*d  fprinkling  for  baptizing,  had  no  more  right  {0  to  dof 

&  z  thaa 


yS       the  mode  and  subjects     [Serm.  V.] 

than  they  had  to  inftitute  a  new  rite,  or  ordinance,  and 
call  it  Chrid's. 

"What  authority  have  we  to  follow  their  erroneous  and 
hurtful  practice  ? 

10.  We  have  another  confequence  worthy  of  confi- 
deration,  and  it  is  this:  The  ChriRian  ordinance  of  bap- 
tifm  is  a  moil  folemn  and  fignificant  ordinance,  and  of 
very  high  importance. 

I  fpeak  not  of  the  vifible,  or  actual,  adminiftration  of 
it,  in  particular  ;  for  I  never  faw  it  adminiftered,  as 
Chrift  hath  delivered  it  to  his  people.  But  I  refer  to  the 
purport,  end  and  defign  of  it.  It  is,  among  many  other 
things,  the  great  dividing  line,  which  Heaven  hatlj  ap- 
pointed to  be  drawn  between  the  vifible  kingdom  of  Im- 
manuel,  and  the  men  of  this  world.  Doubtlefs  there  are 
a  large  number  who  belong  to  Chrift's  invifible  kingdom, 
who  are  not,  ftriftly  fpeaking,  or  regularly,  in  his  king- 
dom vifibly,  having  not  fubmitted  to  this  ordinance, 
which  is  the  great  and  important  line  of  diftinclion. 

ir.  It  appears  that  we  are,  truly,  in  a  trying  Mate. 
We  mud  depart,  in  one  inftance,  from  a  long  habit,  or 
continue  to  do  as  we  have  done,  and  yet  not  be  able  to 
vindicate,  by  the  fcriptures  of  truth,  our  own  conduct:. 

Laftly.  We  come,  at  length,  to  the  anfwer  of  this  old 
and  difficult  and  perplexing  queflion  :  Where,  and  when, 
did  the  religious  feci:,  called  Baptifts,  arife  ?  The  anfwer 
is,  plainly,  this.  They  arofe  in  Judea,  at  the  time  when 
John  came,  preaching  in  the  wildernefs  the  baptifm  of 
repentance.  I  mention  this  confequence  with  conside- 
rable affurance,  becaufe  the  New  Teftament  abundantly 
favours  it,  and  no  man  is  able  to  contradict  me.  Should 
any  attempt  it,  he  will  fail  for  want  of  evidence.  1 
ihould,  ,not  long  fince,  have  been  gratified,  could  1  have 

found 


[Serin.  V.]        of  baptism.  79 

found  their  origin  any  where  in  the  dark  ages  of  Pope- 
ry, or  at  the  commencement  of  the  reformation,  among 
the  famous  enthufiafts  of  Germany,  Holland,  Switzer- 
land, or  Weftphalia.  But,  after  having  long  purfued 
the  perplexing  refearch,  I  found  their  origin,  where  I  leaft 
of  all  expected  it,  in  Enon  and  Jordan. 

A  few  queftions  are  now  to  clofe  the  prefent  fubject. 

1 .  Is  not  immerfion  the  fcripture  baptifm  ? 

2.  Is  fprinkling  a  mode  of  baptizing  warranted  by 
fcripture  ?  If  fo,  where  ? 

3.  Are  Old  Teftament  rites  to  explain  New  Tefta- 
ment  ordinances  ?  Is  Mofes  to  correct  what  Chrift  hath 
left  incomplete  ?    Is  it  fo  ? 

4.  Will  Chrift  approve  of  that  practice  of  men,  which 
fo  changes  his  pofitive  inftitution,  as  to  lofe,  greatly  to 
lofe,  the  purport,  end  and  defign  of  it  ? 

5.  Was  it  ever  right,  and  is  it  now,  for  men  to  change 
what  Chrift  hath  commanded  to  be  in  perpetual  observa- 
tion ?  Did  the  fuppofed  extreme  cafes  juftify  this  change 
at  firft,  and  will  triSing  inconveniences  juftify  us  now  ? 

6.  Will  it  be  wife  and  fafe  for  us  continually  to  for- 
fake  the  commandment  of  Chrift  for  the  precepts  of 
men  \ 

7.  Do  you,  my  brethren,  or  can  you,  blame  me  for 
wifhing  you  to  keep  the  ordinances  of  Chrift  as  he  hath 
delivered  them  to  the  faints  ? 

8.  Should  I  have  manifefted  myfelf  your  friend,  or 
Chrift's,  if,  after  having  found  fuch  a  precious,  new  and 
old  treafure  in  his  word,  as  is  the  Chriftian  ordinance 
of  baptifm,  I  had  not  ventured  my  life,  or  in  other 
words,  my  reputation,  my  eafe,  my  property,  and  my 
every  worldly  confideration,  to  bring  it  forth  to  your 
riew  and  acceptance,  that  you  might  more  fully  walk 


80        the  mode  and  subjects     [Serm,  V.J 

in  all  the  ftatutes  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord  blame- 
lefs? 

One  requeft,  my  brethren,  I  pray  you  to  grant  me, 
and  ft  is  this  :  Search  the  fcriptures  devoutly,  and  follow 
me  fo  far  as  I  follow  Jefus  Chiift,  your  Lord  and  mine* 


THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS 

OF 

BAPTISM. 


SERMON    VI. 


MATTHEW  XXVIII.  19,  20. 

Co  ye,  therefor:,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  hi  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghojl ;  teach- 
ing them  to  obferve  all  things  nohatfocver  I  have  commanded 
you  :  And,  lo,  I  am  with  you  ahvay,  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  world.     Amen. 

I  HAVE  already  obferved  to  you,  that  Chrift  Jefus, 
the  head  of  the  church,  and  Lord  of  all,  was  now 
conilitutiug  his  preient  and  fucceeding  difciples  to  be 
apoftles  unto  all  nations.  My  text  is  their  commiiTion, 
and  general  and  particular  orders.  In  it  they  are  di- 
rected— 

I.     To  go  and  difciple  all  nation?. 
II.     To  baptize  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  &c 
in.     He  directs  thefe  newly  constituted  apoftles,  and 
all  their  fucceifors,  to  teach  their  baptized  difciples  to* 
obferve  all  things  whatfoever  he  had  given  in  command- 
ment. 
Lajlly-       For  their  encouragement   and  comfort,  he 

adds, 


82         THE   MODE  AND  SUBJECTS       [Serm.   Vl.J 

adds,  and,  lo,  I  am  with  you   alway,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world.     Amen. 

What  I  purpofed  to  fay  to  yon,  particularly,  upon  the 
fecond  proportion,  I  have  faid.     I  now  recur  to  the 

I.  Which  eontains  Chrift's  command  to  his  difciptcs 
to  go  and  difciph  ail  nations. 

I  have  already  mowed  you  what  baptifm  is,  and  the 
defign  of  it.  1  am  now,  if  the  Lord  will,  to  lay  open 
what  is  commanded  to  be  done,  before  baptifm  be  ad- 
miniltered,  alfo  the  evidence  which  the  Lord  may  afford 
me  to  prove  to  you  that  my  inftrudlion  is  of  him. 

Your  feelings,  my  brethren,  and  people,  have  no  doubt 
been  highly  wrought  up,  whilft  I  have  opened  before 
you  one  of  the  laws  of  Chrift's  kingdom  amongft  men. 
I  have  frill  more  things  to  fay  unto  you,  refpe&ing 
the  rules  and  regulations  of  this  kingdom.  I  pray  the 
Lord,  that  your  minds  may  be  fo  prepared  to  hear,  that 
you  may  not  forfake  me,  and  flee,  as  many  of  Chrift's 
profe/Ted  friends  did,  when  he  preached  on  a  fubject 
which  greatly  croft  their  prejudices  and  carnal  expecta- 
tions. 

Your  bufy  minds,  no  doubt,  will,  before  you  are 
aware,  be  inquiring  what  great  nnd  good  men,  in  our 
days  and  in  the  days  of  our  fathers,  have  faid  and 
thought  of  thefe  things  ;  but  we  fiiould  look  farther  back 
than  to  our  forefathers.  The  man  Chrifl  Jefus,  and  his 
infpired  prophets  and  apoftles,  mould  be  the  men  of  our 
counfel.  Should  I  fpeak  according  to  thefe,  you  may 
hearken  to  me  with  fafety :  if  contrary,  convict  me  by 
the  word  and  teftimony  of  Jefus  Chrift ;  for  I  appeal  to 
thefe,  for  by  them  1  ought  to  be  judged. 

One  requeft,  my  hearers,   I  pray  you  to  grant  me; 

namely — Lay  prejudice  afide,  and  let  fcripture,    reafon 

and  common  fenfe  be  heard  for  a  few  minutes. 

Surely 


fitftgfc  VI.]  or  baptise.  83 

Surely  you  rnuft  conficfer  my  cafe  more  trying  than 
any  of  yours.  For  it  is,  perhaps,  as  difficult  for  me  to 
combat  my  own  prejudices  and  carnal  feelings,  as  it  is 
for  any  of  you  to  contend  with  his :  Befides  this,  I  have 
to  look  your  prejudices  in  the  face,  while  I  venture  to 
bring  any  of  your  old  practices  to  the  fcriptures  for  trial. 
Yes,  rnof2  than  all  this,  I  have  many  trials  to  encounter, 
which  you  ha.ve  not,  nor  can  have. 

I  fhould  not  have  made  the  attempt  to  bring  our  for- 
mer practice  to  the  ftandard  for  trial,  had  not  my  diffi- 
culties been  fo  great,  that  X  durft  proceed  no  farther^ 
without  proving  my  works.  One  of  my  practices  hath 
been  weighed  in  the  balance,  and  is  found  wanting.  I 
am  now,  if  my  heart  depejve  me  not,  willing  to  lead 
another  of  my  works,  or  the  fubjecls  on  which  fome  of 
my  works  have  been,  to  the  bar  for  trial.  If  this  fhall 
be  found  of  wood,  hay,  or  (tubble,  may  the  fire  of  truth 
burn  it  up,  and  may  the  fire  of  love  caufe  me  to  rejoice 
while  it  fhall  be  confuming. 

The  proportion  which  will  bring  this  other  of  my 
-,vorks  to  the  trial  is — 

Chrift  commands  his  mini  (tors  to  go  and  difciple  all 
nations.  I  have  engaged  to  be  one  of  thefe  minifters. 
The  command  is,  therefore,  binding  upon  me.  I  have 
gone  forth,  that  I  might  obey.  The  great  thing  to  be 
determined  is,  whether  I  have  underflood  what  it  is  to 
difciple,  or  to  make  difciples,  and  have  praclifed  accord- 
ingly. 

The  important  queflion  to  be  decided  is  jufl  this  :  If 
I  difciple  any  of  you,  who  are  parents,  do  I,  as  a  necefTary 
confluence,  difciple  all  your  children  and  houfeholds  ? 

The  only  difficulty,  in  this  queftion,  relates  to  chil- 
dren and  houfeholds.     What  it  is  to  difciple  the  mailer 

Of 


$4         THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS       [Serin.  VI.] 

of  a  family,  is  a  thing  in  which  Chriftians  generally  a- 
gree. 

I  ought  juft  to  remark  to  you,  that  matketeufate  to 
teach,  is,  in  its  literal  and  genuine  fenfe,  to  difciple,  or  lb 
to  teach  as  to  make  difciples. 

To  bring  the  queftion  before  you  as  fully  as  1  can,  I 
"wifri  you,  each  one  of  you,  to  fix  his  attention  upon  fome 
one  family  in  this  town,  in  which  family  not  a  Chriftian 
is  to  be  found.  If  each  one  have  his  mind  fixt  upon  fuch 
aChriftlefs  houfehold,  I  will  now  put  the  queftion  : — 

S'jppoie  I,  inftrumentaily,  difciple  the  father  of  this 
family,  do  I,  as  a  certain  confequence,  make  difciples  of 
the  whole  family  ? 

Before  you  determine  the  queftion,  it  may  be  well  to  fix 
in  your  minds  what  a  difciple  is.  Let  the  fcriptures 
fpeak.  The  difciples  were  called  Chriftians  flrft  at  Anti- 
och  :  ASs  ri.  26.  The  ccmmiflion  which  Cbrift  gave  to 
the  fir  ft  minifters,  and  to  all  fucceeding  ones,  as  record- 
ed Mark  xvi.  15,  16,  is,  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  gofpel  to  every  creature  ;  he  that  believeth.  &c. 
Here  a  believer  is  the  fame  as  3  difciple.  Here  we  fee,  a 
difciple,  in  the  fenfe  of  my  text,  is  a  believer,  a  believer 
in  Chrift,  a  Christian.  This  is  the  idea  which  the  New 
Teftament,  from  beginning  to  end,  gives  us  of  a  difciple. 
There  is,  however,  mention  made  of  difciples,  who  were 
fo  but  by  profeffion,  or  who  were  vifible  difciples  only  ; 
not  having  the  love  of  God  in  them. 

Now  try  the  queftion  with  refpecT:  to  both  forts  of 
thefe  difciples. 

Suppofe  1,  inftrumentaily,  difciple  the  father  of  a 
ChriPlefs  family  ;  do  I,  as  a  neceiTary  confequence,  make 
Chriftians  of  ail  in  his  houfe  ?  You  will  pleafe  to  make 
up  your  minds,  on  this  queftion,  decidedly. 

Suppofe, 


[Serm.VI.]         of  baptism.  85 

Suppofe,  again,  that  I,  inftrumentally,  difciple  the  fa- 
ther of  a  Chriftlefs  family,  do  I,  as  a  neceiTary  confe- 
quence,  make  mpblt  difciples  of  all  his  family  ?  Let 
your  minds  be  cleanly  determined  as  to  the  anfwer. 

Once  more,  fuppofe  I,  by  delivering  the  Lord's  mef- 
fage,  convert,  or  make  a  difciple  of  the  father  of  a  Chrift- 
lefs  family,  do  1,  of  necelary  confequence,  make  any 
one  of  his  houf^  hold  befides  himfelf  a  difciple  ?  * 

Let  fcripture,  let  reafon,  let  common  fenfe,  let  any 
thing,  fpeak,  which  wtU  fpeak  the  truth,  and  determine 
thefe  queftions.  Confider,  take  advice,  and  fpeak  your 
minds. 

Can  you  fuppofe,  or  can  you  not,  that  to  make  a  father 
cf  a  family  a  difciple,  his  wife,  his  fervants,  and  his  chil- 
dren, are  all  difciples  of  courfe,  or  of  necefTary  confe- 
quence ? 

Is  not  this  a  clear  cafe  ?  and  yet  the  great  and  momen- 
tous fubject  before  us  turns,  altogether,  upon  the  anfwer 
of  this  queftion. 

If  difcipling  the  father  of  a  family  renders  all  his  houfe 
difciples,  they  are  all  fubjecls  of  baptifm,  they  have  the 
fcripture  qualification  for  it  ;  if  it  do  not,  then  they  have 
not  the  qualification  which  my  text  requires  to  be  in 
thofe  who  are  baptized. 

You  will  judge  for  yourfelves  whether  houfeholds  do 
thus  become  difciples  ;  as  for  the  reft,  the  fcriptures  de- 
termine :  if  they  be  difciples,  they  are  to  be  baptized  j 
if  not,  they  are  not  to  be. 

H  1 

*  Prejudice  may  reply ,  You  are  to  difciple  the  houfehcld  by 
baptizing  them,  This  contradicts  my  text,  that  fays,  difcipk 
4kemfrJ, 


36  THE   MODE   AND   SUBJECTS    [SeTHl.  VL] 

I  know  what  your  anfwer  muft  be,   for  by  incontefti- 

ble  fails,  in  this  town,  the  difcipling  of  a  father  of  a  fa- 
mily does  not  difciple  his  houfehold  ;  it  does  not  even 
e  them  vifible  difciples,  or  gnw  fchem  even  the  ap- 
pearance of  being  fo. 

The  following  is  for  evidence,  that  perfons  muft  be 
.made  di-c;ple?,  before  they  are  baptized. 

t.  John  made  his  hearers  difciples  before  he  baptized 
u  He  required,  in  order  for  baptifm,  that  they 
ihculd  bring  forth  fruits  meet  for,  or  as  evidence  of,  re- 
.pentance  :  Matt,  iii.  8,  and  Luli  iii.  8. 

2.  Chrift's  difciples  baptized  none  but  fuch  as  were 
made  difciples  firft  :  John  iv.  if  2. 

3.  Chriit,  in  my  text,  gives  no  liberty  to  baptize  any 
but  fuch  as  are  fir  ft  difcipled.  Yes,  he  commands  his 
minifters  to  difciple  before  they  baptize. 

The  account  which  Mark  gives  us  of  the  Apoftles' 
commiiTion,  and  of  the  Baptifmal  Inftitution,  is  confirm- 
ing evidence  in  this  matter  :  xvith  chapt.  15th  and  16th 
verfes :  '  Preach  the  gofpel  to  every  creature:  He  that 
believeth  and  is  baptized,'  &c.  Here,  believing  is  put 
before  baptifm.  The  way  adopted  by  fome  to  avoid  the 
force  of  this  text  is,  if  they  be  baptized,  fay  they,  no  mat- 
ter \*hen,  before  or  after  believing.  This  way  of  get- 
ting clear  of  the  difficulty  appears  neither  wife  nor  can- 
did ;  for  it  injures  the  plain  meaning  of  the  text,  and 
makes  Matthew's  aad  Mark's  account  cf  the  commifiion 
to  dif agree. 

What  remains  area  number  of  plain  truths,  facte  and  con- 

fequences,  which  have  a  more  near  or  remote  relation  with 

.  -abject  on  hand,  and  may  ferve  to  throw  light  upon  it. 

In  the  First  place,  we  may  take  notice  of  two  parti- 
culars, which*  perhaps,  have  net  been fufficietitly  noticed. 

One 


[Serin.  VL]  of  baptism.  $J- 

One  is,  rhe  ceremonial  law,  and  the  covenant  cf  cir- 
cumcifion  which  was  annexed  to  it,  appear  to  be  difan- 
nulled  and  paft  away. 

The  following  may  make  this  matter  plain  :  The  dif- 
annulling  or  abolifhing  cf  the  law,  we  fee,  Hcb.  vii.  18. 
"  There  15  verily  a  difannulling  of  the  commandment  go- 
ing before,  lor  the  s  and  unpronlablenefs  there- 
of. Alio,  Gal.  iii.  19.  Wherefore  then  fetveth  the 
law?  1 1  was  a  d  Jed  b  e  c  a  u  fe  o  f  t  r  a  n  (g  t  e  ffi  ons,  /i  /7  1 1 1  eyW 
fhould  <:o.^f,  to  whom  the  ptqmife  was  made.  What  feed 
this  is,  to  whom  the  promife  was  made,  we  are  told  in 
the  1 6th  verfe  cf  the  fame  chapter  :  "  Now  to  Abra- 
ham and  his  feed  were  the  promifes  made  :  He  faith 
not  to  feeds,  as  of  many  ;  but  as  of  one,  And  to  thy  feed, 
h  is  Chrift,"  We  hence  fee,  that  Chriil  was  ths 
feed  to  whom  the  promifes  were  made,  and  that  the  U10 
(the  ceremonial  law)  was  added  becaufe  of  tranfgref- 
fions,  till  the  {ctd,  i.  e.  Chriil,  mould  come.  It  is  hence 
plain,  that  the  ceremonial  law  was  to  continue  no  longer 
than  till  Chriil  came.  . 

The  covenant  of  circumciiion  appears  to  be  annexed  to 
this  law.      For  f;ys  Jefus  Chrift,  John  vii.  23,   U  a  man 
day  receive  circumcifion,  that  thz/aio  of  Ma* 
fat  ihould  not  be  broken,  are  ye  angry  at  me  ?     &c. 

That  this  covenant  of  circumciiion,  or  the  Sinai  cove- 
nant, which  includes  it,  hath  parted  away,  oris  difannul- 
led,  fee  Hel\  viii.  13.  <  In  that  he  faith  anew  covenant, 
he  hath  made  the  firft  old  :  now  that,  which  decayeth 
and  waxeth  old,  is  ready  to  vanith  away. 

Befides,  circumcifion  is,  evidently,  a  very  important 
part  of  that  law,  which  is  difannulled,  for  faith  Paul  to 
the  Galatians,  chapter  v.  2,  3,  If  ye  be  tltcumc'tfed 
Chriil:  (lall  profit  you  nothing.     Foi  I  teftify  again,  frys 

he, 


88       the  mode  and  subjects     [Serm.  VI.] 

he,  to  every  man  that  is  circumctfed,  that  he  is  a  debtor  to 
do  the  whole  law. 

It  is  hence  plain,  that  the  ceremonial  law  is  no  longer 
binding  ;  and  that  the  covenant  of  circumcifion,  which 
was  incorporated  with  it,  hath  vanifhed  away. 

The  other  particular  is  this;  the  promifes,  which  were 
made  to  Abraham  and  his  feed,  were  not  made  to  him 
in  circumcifiojiy  but  in  unclrcumclfion  ;  and  the  covenant 
which  was  confirmed  of  God,  to  Abraham,  in  Chrift, 
was  while  he  was  in  undrcamc'ifon,  and  about  twenty-four 
years  before  the  covenant  of  circumcifion  was  given.  Rem* 
iv.  8,  9,  io. — Gal.  iii.  16,  17..— G^«.  xii.  3,  4,  7,  andxvii. 
10,  17. 

Moreover,  When  Paul  fpeaks  of  the  covenant  which 
was  connrmed  of  God  in  Chrift,  he  points  out  the  exacr. 
year,  when  this  was  made  known,  or  confirmed  with 
Abraham,  as  though  he  had  a  fore  fight,  as  certainly  the 
Holy  Ghoft  had,  of  the  contention  which  mould  be  long 
continued,  for  want  of  judicioufly  understanding  what 
covenant  mould  be  disannulled,  and  what  covenant  the 
law  could  not  difannul.  He  tells  us,  Gal.  iii,  17,  That 
this  covenant,  which  cannot  be  made  void,  was  four  hun- 
dred and  thirty  years  before  the  law  :  whereas  the  cove- 
nant of  circumcifion  was  about  four  hundred  and  fit 
years  before  the  law,  with  which  circumcifion  was  uni- 
ted. 

Seeing  matters  are  thus,  what,  I  pray  you,  my  hear- 
ers, have  we  to  do  with  the  covenant  of  circumcifion  ? 
If  we  keep  it,  Chrift  lhall  profit  us  nothing  :  if  we  cb- 
ferve  fomething  which  we  fubftitute  in  its  place,  Chrift 
may  profit  us  as  little  in  fuch  obfervance. 

I  know  it  will  be  afked,  Is  not  the  church  the  fame  now, 
that  it  was  in  Abraham's  day  ?     1  anfwer,  yes,  and  the 

fame 


.'SlTIH.VL]  of  baptism.  89 

&*tie  that  it  was  in  Noah's,  Enoch's  and  Adam's,  and 
the  fame  that  it  ever  will  be.      It  will  be  alked  again,  is 
not  the  covenant  the  fame,  which  it  was  in  Abraham's 
time  ?     Yes,  the  covenant  which  was  confirmed  of  God 
in  Chrift  is  unchangeably  the  fame  ;  but  the  covenant  cf 
circumcifion,  which  God  made  with  Abraham,  renewed 
with  Ifaac  and  Jacob,  and  folemnized  with  Ifrael  in  the 
wildernefs,  (Dsut.  xxix.  10,    11,    12,  13)   is  far  from  be- 
ing the  covenant,  the  new  covenant,    which   God  makes 
with  the  houfe  of  Ifrael  in  our  day.     The  covenant  of 
circumcifion  was,  more  than  1700  years  ago,  decaying, 
waxing  old,  and  ready  to  v'anifn  away.       But  you  will 
again  fay,  is  not  the  church  compofed  of  parents  and 
children,  and  of  houfeholds,  now,  as  it  was  in  Abraham's 
day  ?     Let  Paul  anfwer  how  it    was    (as  touching  the 
gofpel  )  in  Abraham's  day  and  after.      Rom.  ix.  6,  7,  8, 
*  They  are  not  all  Ifrael   which  are  of  Ifrael,  neither,  be- 
caufe  they  are  the  feed  of  Abraham,   are  they  all  chil- 
dren :  but  in  Ifaac  fliajl  thy  feed  be    called.     That  is, 
they  that  are  the  children  of  the  flefh,  thefe  are  not   the 
children  of  God  :   but.  the  children  of  the  promife  are 
counted  for  the  feed.     Juft  fo  now.     The  children  of 
God,  the  children  of  the  promife,  are  counted  for  the 
feed,  and  compofe  the  church  ;  and  of  thofe    who  ap- 
pear thus    mould  the  vifible  church  be  made  up,  and  of 
none  elfe.     But,  if  by  the  queflion  be  meant,     Does  not 
church  memberfhip  defcend  from  parents   to  children, 
and  from  mailers  to  fervants,  as  it  appears  to  have  done 
under  the  old  covenant  of  circumcifion  ?  the  anfwer.  is, 
The  New  Teftament  no  where  acknowledges,  nor  does 
it  know,  any  thing   about  a   church  thus  made   up.     I 
would   that  all  good   men  would  confent   to  take   New 
Teftament  directions  and  examples  by  which  to  conftir 
'tute  and  guide  New  Teftament  churches.  But.: 

K_    2. 


90        the  mode  and  subjects    [Serm.VI.T 

But  it  will  be  afked  once  more,  Hath  not  baptifm 
come  into  the  place  of  circumcifion,  and  to  be  applied  to 
fimilar  fubje&s  ?  Jnfwer.  Circumcifion  was  a  pofitive 
inftitution,  and  fo  is  baptifm.  Abraham  and  the  Israel- 
ites knew  nothing  to  whom  circumcifion  mould  be  ad- 
miniftered,  but  as  they  received  direction  from  the  Di- 
vine Inftitutor ;  juil  fo  it  is  with  refpect  to  the  adminif- 
tration  of  baptifm.  The  Chriftians  at  Antioch,  the  El- 
ders at  Jerufalem,  the  church  of  Galatia,  and  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  knew  nothing  of  baptifm  being  fubftituted  for 
circumcifion.  Ads  xv.  I,  to  $$  ;  Gal.  iii.  and  v.  chap- 
ters. We  know  nothing,  and  can  know  nothing,  as  to 
whom  baptifm  is  to  be  admmiftered,  but  from  what 
Chrift  hath  told  us  as  to  the  fubjecls.        Now — 

Secondly,  I  afk  what  evidence  have  we  from  the  bible 
that  infants  are  to  be  baptized  ? 

You  may  reply*  they  are  included  in  the  covenant. 
What  covenant  ?  In  that  of  circumcifion  r*  Surely  not, 
for  that  hath  vanifhed.  away.  If  you  fay,  in  the  cove- 
nant that  was  confirmed  of  God  in  Chrift,  I  anfwer,  it 
was  not  this  covenant  which  entitled  Abraham's  houfe- 
hold  to  circumcifion,  therefore,  though  your  children  be 
in  this  covenant,  that  does  not,  of  itfelf,  entitle  them  to 
baptifm  ;  whether  baptifm  be.  in  the  place  of  circumci- 
iion,  or  not.  You  will  then  -fay,  What  can  entitle  our 
children  to  baptifm  ?  Anfwer.  Their  being  difciples, 
and  fo  coming  within  the  compafs,  or  pale,  of  the  bap- 
tifmal  inftitution. 

As  we  can  know  nothing  of  the  fubjects  of  baptifm*, 
any  more  than  Abraham  and  Ifrael  could  of  the  fubjecls 
of  circumcifion,  but  from  what  we  are  informed  in  the 
inftitution.  and  in  what  is  faid  upon  it,  we  will  inquire 
what  the  bible  faith  of  this  matter.  It 


[Serm.  VL]  or  baptism.  91 

If  the  Lord,  in  his  word,  hath  not  given  us  fufficient 
inft  ruction  upon  this  fubjecr,  we  rauit  practife  in  the  dark, 
for  we  have  no  where  elfe  to  go. 

We  will  begin  with  John.  t.  Did  he  baptize  any 
children  ?  We  have  no  evidence  that  he  did.  Befides, 
he  told  the  multitude,  which  attended  his  miniftry,  not 
to  plead  Abraham,  or  Abraham's  covenant,  as  a  title  to 
baptifm.      Matth.  iii,  7,  8,  9,  10. 

2.  Did  Chrift's  difciples,  whilft  he  was  with  them, 
and  whilft  they  mad:  and  baptized  move.  dtfcipJes  than  John, 
baptize  infants,  or  any  vifibly  unbelieving  children  ?  No 
evidence  that  they  did. 

3.  Is  there  any  evidence  from  my  text,  which  con- 
tains the  words  of  the  inflitution,  that  infants,  or  unbe- 
lieving houfeholds,  were  to  be  baptized  ?  None,  but  the 
contrary. 

4.  Is  there  any  paffage  in  the  New  Teftament,  which 
commands,  or  fays  fo  much  as  one  word,  that  infants 
are  to  be  baptized  ?     Not  one. 

5.  Is  there  any  example,  which  (hows,  that  the  Apof- 
tles  baptized  any  upon  the  faith  of  parents,  or  matters, 
or  upon  the  faith,  or  promifes,  of  any  others  ? 

I  know,  my  brethren,  there  are  three  inftances,  which 
are  fuppofed,  by  fome,  to  favour  the  affirmative  of  the 
queflion.  I  have  rather  been  of  the  fame  opinion.  If 
it  be  fo,  may  facts  convince  us. 

We  will  look  at  each  of  thefe  examples  feparately. 

The  firfl  fuppofed  example  we  find  at  Philip- 
pi.  Here  was  a  woman,  named  Lydia  j  (lie  appears  to 
have  been  a  woman  of  bufmefs.  She  belonged  to  Thya- 
tira,  but  was  now  at  Philippi,  probably  felling^her  mer- 
chandife,  with  feveral  attendants.  The  hiftory  is  thus 
related,  A&i  xvi.  13th,  14th  and  15th  verfes.    «  On  the 

fab  bath 


92  THE   MODE  AND  SUBjF.CTS      [Serin. Vl.] 

fabbath  day,  we  ( Paul  and  other  difciples)  went  cut  of  the 
city,  by  a  river  fide,  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be  made, 
and  we  fat  down,  and  fpake  unto  the  women  who  report- 
ed thither.  And  a  certain  woman,  named  Lydia,  a  fel- 
ler of  purple,  of  the  city  o[  Thyatira,  who  worfhipped 
God,  heard  us,  whofe  heart  the  Lord  opened,  that  {he 
attended  unto  the  things  which  were  fpeken  of  Paul. 
And  when  {he  was  baptized  and  her  houfehold  fhe  be- 
fought  us,  faying,  If  ye  have  judged  me  to  be  faithful  to 
the  Lord,  come  into  my  houfe  and  abide  there. n 

This  is  all  we  know  of  the  matter.  She  belonged  to 
another  city.  She  worfhipped  God.  She  was,  on  the 
fabbath  day,  by  the  fide  of  a  river,  where  prayer  was 
wont  to  be  made.  The  Lord  opened  her  heart  to  at- 
tend to  what  Paul  faid.  Pier  fervants  were  with  her. 
She  had  a  houfe,  either  her  own,  or  one  taken  for  the 
time.  She  was  baptized,  and  her  houfehold.  As  to 
her  having  infants  with  her,  you  can  tell,  as  well  as  I. 
.  :ver,  whether  her  fervants  believed  the  words  of 
Paul,  you  can,  if  you  attend  to  the  circumftances,  form 
as  correct  a  judgment,  perhaps,  as  any  ether  can  make 
up  for  you. 

The  things  to  be  conGde-red  are,  i.  Lydia  was  a  god- 
ly woman.  2.  She  attended  meeting.  Paul  found  her 
where  prayer  was  wont  to  be  made,  where  religious 
women  had  been  accuRomed  to  meet.  3.  She,  like 
other  religious  people,  took  her  houfehold  to  meeting 
with  her.  4.  It  appears  that  Paul  baptized  non  of  her 
houfehold,  but  fadh  as  were  with  her  at  the  female 
praying  meeting.  5.  The  ftrcr.g  probability  is,  that 
Lydia,  being  a  pious  woman,  one  who  worfhipped  God, 
would  {elect,  for  her  attendants,  miidens  or  fervants 
who  alfo  were  wcrfhipiers  cf  God-   In  verfe  40.   we  are 

tqW« 


[Serm.VL]  of  baptism.  93 

told,  theapofltles  entered  into  the  houfe  of  Lydia,  com- 
forted the  brethren,  Szc.  You  will  weigh  thefe  circum- 
ftances,  and  mi  e  up  for  yourfelves,  fo  far  as  you  can, 
a  righteous  judgment. 

The  next  example  is  recorded  in  the  fame  chapter, 
and  appears  to  be  in  the  fame  city.  The  hiftory  of  the 
matter  is  contained  in  the  25th  verfe^  and  on  to  the  34th. 
The  noticeable  facts,  and  on  which  we  muft  make  up 
our  judgment,  are— The  jailor  fays,  Sirs,  What  mult  1 
do  to  be  faved  r"  Paul  and  Silas  anfwered,  Believe  on 
the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  and  thou  {halt  be  faved,  and  thy 
houfe.  And  they  fpake  unto  him  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
and  to  all  that  were  in  his  houfe.  And  he  was  baptized, 
he  and  ail  his,  ftraightway — and  rejoiced,  believing  in 
God  with  all  his  houfe. 

Here  are  three  things  to  be  put  together.'  I.  The 
word  of  the  Lord  Jefus  was  fpoken  to  them  all.  2.  They 
were  all  baptized.  3.  They  all  believed  in  God.  Whe- 
ther here  be  any  example  of  infant  baptifm,  you  will 
judge,  each  one  for  himfelf. 

As  fome  have  fuppefed  that  this  parage,  and  a  few 
others  of  fimilar  import,  afford  an  argument  in  favour 
of  fprinkling,  it  may  be  well  to  give  it  a  moment's  con- 
fideration.  Here  we  are  told,  that  the  keeper  of  the 
prifon  brought  out  Paul  and  Silas.  Where  he  brought 
them  to  feems  plainly  enough  to  be  gathered  from  the 
3 2d  verfe,  in  which  we  rind  them  fpeaking  to  the  jailer 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  to  all  that  were  in  his  houfe. 
In  the  next  verfe  we  are  informed  that  the  jailer  and  all 
his  were  baptized.  Where  they  were  baptized,  we  are 
not  told.  One  thing  however  is  plain,  it  was  not  in  the 
houfe,  for  in  verfe  34  it  is  faid,  When  (i.  e.  after  the 
houfehold  were  baptized)  he  had  brought  them  into  his 

houfe, 


94         the  mode  and  subjects     [Serin. VI.] 

houfe,  be  fet  meat  before  them,  and  rejoiced,  believing 
in  Gcd,  with  all  his  houfe.  From  thefe  obfcrvations, 
the  following  things  appear  : — 

i.  That  Paul  and  Silas  were  in  the  jailer's  houfe, 
when  they  (pake  the  word  of  the  Lord  to  all  that  were 
in  his  houfe.  2.  That  when  the  ordinance  of  baptifni 
was  admin;  ;t  ere  d,  they  were  not  in  his  houfe.  3.  That 
the  mode  of  baptizing  then  in  ufe  rendered  it  inconvenient 
to  be  performed  in  the  jailer's  houfe.  4.  After  the  or- 
dinance was  administered,  they  went  into  the  houfe. 
How  this  favours  fpi  inkling  I  fc:  not. 

The  other  fuppofed  example  is  in  ift  Cor.  1.  16,  where 
Paul  fays,  I  baptized  alfo  the  houfehold  of  Stephanas. 
Ln  the  xvi.  chap.  15th  verfe,  we  have  a  fhort  hiftory  of 
Stephanas's  houfehold  ;  it  is  thus,  4i  Ye  know  the  houfe- 
hold of  Stephanas,  that  it  is  the  firft  fruits  of  Achaia, 
and  that  thty  have  addicted  themfclves  to  the  miniftry  of 
the  faints."  Whether  there  is  here  found  any  evidence 
of  infant  baptifm,  you  will  determine  for  ycurfelves. 

6.  Are  the  encouragements  which  are  given  to  pa- 
rents, in  behalf  of  their  children,  made  to  their  having 
them  baptized,  or  are  the  bleiiings  connected  with  their 
dedicating  them  to  the  Lord,  and  with  their  bringing 
them  up  111  his  nurture  and  admonition  ?  With  which,  your 
Bibles  will  inform  you. 

7.  Do  we,  or  do  any,  pretend,  that  there  is  any  cer- 
tain evidence,  from  either  precept  or  example,  for  the 
baptizing  of  infants  ?  Indeed  there  is  none.  Probably 
npt  many  fuppcfe  it. 

8.  Is  there,  as  fome  have  affirmed,  the  fame  evidence 
for  baptizing  infants,  that  there  is  for  obferving  the 
Lord's  day,    for  admitting  females  to  communion,  and 

b  there  is  for  family  prayer  ? 

There 


[Serm.  VI.]         of  baptism.  95 

There  is  a  day  called  the  Lord's  day,  and  religious 
things  were  to  be  obferved  on  it.  Are  there  infants,  who 
are  called  baptized  infants,  and  are  they  to  be  attended 
to  as  fuch  I 

Females  and  males  are  decl  ired  to  be  ail  one  in  Chriir, 
and  f©  fit  fubjects  for  the  communion  of  faints.  Are 
infants  unequivocally  declared  to  be  fh  fubjects  of  bap- 
tifrn  ? 

We  have  examples  of  family  prayer,    and   are  com- 
manded to  pray  with  all  prayer.     Are  "cri  :  ex- 
amples of  infant  baptifm,  and   ars    we  c 
baptize  all;  andfo  are  i.     .                   :d  ? 

9.  Ought  I  to  teach  you  infant  bap  t  if  J 
Jefus  Crrrift  hath  no  where  directed  me  to  d 

10.  Hath  Jefus  Chriit  fpoken  one  word  of  b 

as  being  fubilituted  for  circumcifion  ?  Hath  he  any 
where  commanded  his  miniilers  to  teach  this  fubflitu- 
tion  ? 

Thirdly.  Shall  we  g©,  and  are  we  under  the  neceffitr 
of  going,  to  the  law  and  covenant  of  circumcifion  to 
prove  infant  baptifm  ?  when  both  this  law  and  covenant 
have  long  fince  waxed  old,  been  repealed,  and  have  per 
rifhed.     I£eb.  yii.  18,  19,  ar.dviii.   ,$. 

But  you  will  aik,  Are  not  the  bleljings  of  Abraham 
come  on  the  Gentiles  ?  Anf.  Yes.  You  will  then  fay, 
Are  not  our  children  included  in  the  promife  ?  Anfiver. 
If  they  be  Chrift's,  then  a/e  they  Abraham's  feed,  and 
heirs  according  to  the  promife.  Gal.  iii.  29.  Abraham's 
children,  after  the  flefh,  were  not  included  in  the  promife, 
a  Paedobaptiits  of  our  cay  would  have  theirs.  But 
you  will  fay  again,  Are  notour  children  included  in  the 
covenant?  In  what  covenant  ?  In  that  of  circumcifion  ? 
Surely  not,  For  tjiough  that  covenant  was  often  re- 
newed; 


96  THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS       [SeriXl.  VI.] 

nerved,  yet  it  hath  long  fmce  pafTed  away.  Is  your  quef- 
tion  this  ?  Are  they  not  included  in  that  covenant,  which 
■was  confirmed  of  God  in  Chriit,  twenty-four  years  pre- 
vioufly  to  the  covenant  of  circumcilion  ?  I  anfwer,  No 
man  knoweth,  nor  can  know,  but  as  your  children  give 
evidence,  that  they  po/Tefs  the  fpfrit  of  Chrift.  But  as 
I  have  obferved  to  you  before,  fo  I  fay  again,  even  were 
your  children  included  in  this  covenant,  and  faints ;  this 
does  not  of  itfelf  give  them  any  right  to  baptifm,  any 
more,  than  Abraham's  being  included  in  the  fame  cove- 
nant gave  him  a  right  to  circumcifion..  This  covenant 
determines  nothing  as  to  the  one,  or  the  other.  The 
covenant  of  circumcifion  determined  who  were  to  be 
circumcifed.  So  the  ordinance  or  inftitution  of  Baptifm, 
determines  who  are  to  be  baptized.  One  determines  no 
more  who  are  to  be  admitted  to  the  other,  than  does 
the  covenant  of  an  everlafting  priefthood  (Numb.  xxv. 
13)  determine  who  mall  be  minifters  in  gofpel  days. 
In  fliort,  there  is  no  arguing  from  one  to  the  other  in 
this  matter.  They  are  both  cf  them  pofitive  inftitutions, 
and  nothing  can  be  known  of  either,  but  what  is  revealed 
in  its  particular  inftitution. 

While  viewing  this  fubjecr.  you  will  inquire,  What  will 
become  of  our  children  ?  I  anfwer,  God  only  knoweth. 
You  may  rejoin  :  But  what  ffiall  we  do  for  them  ?  jinf. 
Dedicate  them  to  God,  and,  like  faithful  Chriftians, 
bring  them  up  for  him. 

Fourthly.  We  will  now  attend  to  fome  legitimate  con- 
fequences  which  follow,  upon  fuppofition  that  the  fub- 
jects  of  baptifm  are  to  be  determined  from  the  fubjecli  of 
circumcifion. 

1.  One  confequence  is,  every  man   who  is  converted 
to  the  Chriftian  religion  is   to  be  baptized,  and  all  his 

houfehold, 


[Serm.  VI.]  of  baptism.  97 

houfehold,  though  he  may  have  three  hundred  and  feven- 
teen  training  foldiers  born  in  his  own  houfe.  Not  only- 
are  thefe  foldiers  to  be  baptized,  but  their  wives,  chil- 
dren, and  all  other  fervants,  who  belong  to  this  great 
man's  houfe.  A  thoufand  infidels  are  to  be  baptized, 
becaufe  one  great  man,  their  mailer,  is  chriftianized. 

2.  Thefe  foldiers,  with  their  wives,  children  and  fer- 
vants, are  all  to  be  confidered  and  treated  as  church 
members,  or  as  being  in  covenant.  I  confefs  this  does 
not  look  to  me  gofpel-like. 

3.  Another  confequence  is,  the  adults  among  thefe, 
and  among  all  others,  who  are  baptized,  are  not  only 
to  be  admitted  to  the  communion,  but  required  to  come, 
I  afk,  could  fuch  a  communion  be  called  the  communion 
of  faints  ? — one  great  and  good  man,  with  hundreds  of 
unconverted  fervants. 

4.  All  who  have  been  baptized,  and  have  not,  for 
mifdemeanor,  been  expelled  the  church,  have  a  right  to 
baptifm  for  their  children  :  and  no  man  may  forbid  them. 

5.  Another  confequence  is,  notwithstanding  Chrifr 
faith,  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world  ;  yet  the  regula- 
tions were  fuch,  efpecially  the  mean  of  admiffion  into  it, 
as  ftrongly,  and  of  infallible  confequence,  tended  to 
make  it  of  this  world,  and  that  abundantly  fo. 

6.  Another  confequence  is,  many  learned  and  pious 
minifters  of  New-England  are  inconfiftent  with  them  • 
felves,  in  requiring  of  perfons  baptized  in  infancy  a  pro- 
feflion  of  experimental  religion,  as  a  term  of  communion. 
It  was  not  fo  done  in  Ifraelf 

7.  Another  confequence  is,  many  of  the  fame  pious 
and  learned  minifters  are  very  inconfiitent  with  them- 
felves,  in  refufing  baptifm  to  the  children  of  fuch  as  are, 
by  their  baptifm,  in  regular  church  memberfhip,  or  in 
covenant,  as  it  is  termed.  I 

I 


iyS        the  mode  and  subjects    L'Serm.  VI J 

I  have  taken,  as  you  obferve,  for  granted,  what  I  do 
not  believe  to  be  true,  that  fprinklmg,  or  a  very  partial 
■warning,  is  baptifm. 

L-ajlly.  Another  ccnfequence  is,  it  doth,  fo  far  as  it 
Jiath  its  perfea.  tuteri,  deftroy  the  very  idea  of  the  gofpel 
church,  contradict  the  prophets,  and  make  Paul,  and 
ethers,  /peak  not  the  truth,  and  it  throws  us  back  to  the 
itate  of  the  Jewifn  church. 

Jeremiah,  prophefying  of  the   gofpel    church,    faith, 
chap.  xxxi.  31  to  34,  Behold  the  days  come,   faith    the 
Lord,  that  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the  houfe 
of  Ifrael,  and  with  the  houfe  of  Judah  ;  not  according 
to  the  covenant  that  I  made  with  your  fathers,  in   the 
day  that  I  took  them  by  the  hand  to  bring  them  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt  ; — Eut  this  fhall  be  the  covenant  that 
I  will  make  with  the  houfe  of  Ifrael,'  after   thofe  days, 
iaith  the  Lord  ;  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts, 
and  write  it  in  their  hearts  ;  and  will  be  their  God,  and 
they  mall  be  my  people.     And  they  mail  teach  no  more 
every  man  his  ne;ghbour,    and  every  man  his  brother, 
faying,  know  the  Lord,  for  they  fhall  all  know  me,  from 
the  lead  of  them,  unto  the  greateft  of  them,   faith  the 
Lord. 

If  this  means  any  thing,  it  certainly  means  that  the 
gofpel  church  fhall  exceed  in  purity  the  Jewifn  church  ; 
that  it  (hall,  at  lead,  be  compofed  of  profeffing  faints. 
Ijiuah  fays,  chap.  liv.  13,  All  thy  children  mail  be  taught 
of  the  Lord.  The  latter  of  thefe  pailages,  out  Lord  ap- 
plies to  the  gofpel  day,  John^  vi.  45  :  The  former  is  ap- 
plied to  the  gofpel  church  by  Paul,  Hsb.  viii.  chap. 

Mofes  fays  in  Deut.  xviii.  15,  19.    The  Lord  thy  God 
will  r«ife  up  unto  thee  a  prophet  from  the  midfl;  of  thee, 
r.'f  thy  brethren,  like  unto  me  ;  unto  him  ye  fhall  heark- 
en. 


fSerm.  VI. J  of  baptism.  99- 

en.  And  it  fh  ill  come  to  pais,  that  whomever  will  not 
hearken  unto  my  words,  which  he  ft  all  fpeak  in  my 
name,  I  will  require  it  of  him. 

This,  and  much  more,  Peter  applies  to  gofpel  days, 
and  to  the  gofpel  church,  Acls,  iii.  22,  to  the  end.  Mofes 
truly  faid  unto  the  fathers,  A  Prophet  {hall  the  Lord 
your  God  taiie  up  unto  you,  of  your  brethren,  like  unto 
me  ;  him  mail  ye  hear  in  all  things  whatfocver  he  (hall 
fay  unto  you.  And  it  mall  come  to  pafs  that  every  foul 
that  will  not  hear  that  prophet,  fhall  be  dejiroyed  from 
among  the  people*  Yea,  and  all  the  prophets,  from 
Samuel  and  thofe  that  follow  afr.r,  as  many  as  have 
fpoken,  have  likewife  foretold  of  thefe  days.  Ye 
are  the  children  of  the  prophets,  srd  of  the  covenant 
which  God  made  with  our  fathers,  faying  unto  Abra- 
ham, And  in  thy  feed  mail  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth 
be  blefled.  Unto  you  firlt,  God,  having  raifed  up  his 
fon  Jems,  fent  him  to  blefs  you  in  turning  away  every  one 
of  yoafrom  his  iniquities. 

Through  the  New  Teftament,  the  gofpel  church  is,  or 
appears  to  be,  fpoken  of  as  a  fociety,  nation  or  church  of 
faints  ;  and  as  being  greatly  different  from  the  nation  of 
the  Jews.  But  the  fubjecls  of  baptilm  being  determined 
by  the  fubJQcts  of  circumcifion  brings  the  gofpel  church 
as  to  its  conftituent  materials,  to  the  fame  condition  with 
the  church  under  the  law  of  carnal  ordinances.  Indeed, 
what  is  now,  generally,  called  the  gofpel  church  is  hard- 
ly to  be  diftinguifhed  by  its  members  from  the  old  Jewim 
church. 

Do  not  thefe  things  look  as  though  the  twelve  hundred 
and   fixty   years  of  Antichrift's  reign  were  not   wholly 
pad  ?    Is  there  not,  my  brethren,  fome  defiling  error  at 
the  root  of  all  this  I  Car.  fuch  dreams,  as  are  thefe  con- 
fluences, 


100       THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS       [Serm.  VI.] 

feqaences,  flow  from  a  pure  fountain  :  Indeed  many 
good  minifters  of  our  land  have  long  fince  difcovered 
fome  of  thefe  evil  confequences,  and  have  laboured  hard 
to  rectify  them.  Preildent  Edwards,  and  many  others, 
made  a  noble  (land  againft  this  flood  of  corruption  ;  yet 
they  difcovered  not  the  fountain,  whence  thefe  ftreams 
flow,  and  will  flow,  till  it  be  removed.  Putting  or  mif- 
taking  the  covenant  of  circumcifion,  for  the  covenant 
■which  was  confirmed  of  God  in  Chrift  to  Abraham, 
twenty- four  years  before  circumcifion  was  known,  and 
fubftituting  baptifm  for  circumcifion,  and  determining 
the  fubjeas  of  the  one  by  the  fubjects  of  the  other,  \vith- 
out  any  authority  thus  to  do,  have  produced  all  this  cor- 
ruption, deception,  and  world  of  evil.  Would  good  mi- 
nifters be  perfuaded  to  lay  the  axe  at  the  root  of  the  tree, 
as  John  did,  the  evils  would  be  foon  rectified. 

The  fubjed,  on  which  we  now  are,  is  of  fuch  high 
concernment  to  the  church  of  Chrift,  generally,  and 
your  conviction  of  the  truth  of  it,  being  almoft,  or  quite, 
tiTential  to  our  future  peace  and  union  together,  I  would 
willingly  omit  nothing  which  might  chafe  away  your 
darknefs,  and  caufe  the  true  light  to  appear.  I  will, 
therefore,  add  here  the  hiftory  of  infant  baptifm.  Should 
we  find  that  infant  baptifm  is  of  men,  as  we  have  alrea- 
dy found  fprinkling  to  be,  it  is  hoped  that  you  will  ei- 
ther give  it  up,  or  pra&ife  it  as  being  of  man's  device, 
and  not,  as  Mr.  Dickinfon  would  have  it,  as  belonging 
to  infants  by  divine  right. 

The  firft  information  which  we  have  of  infant  bap- 
tifm is  about  the  middle  of  the  fecond  oentury  ;  about 
which  time  Irenseus,  in  one  of  his  epiftles,  has  the  follow- 
ing fentence  :    "  The  church  recieved  a  tradition  from 


[Serm.  VI.]  of  baptism.  iol 

the  apoftles  to  admir.hter  baptifm  to  little  children  or  in- 
fants."* 

The  next  account  we  have  of  this  matter  (if  we  except 
Tertullian,  who  oppofed  the  practice)  is  given  us  by  OrU 
gen,  in  about  the  middle  of  the  third  century.  His 
words  are,  "  Little  children  are  baptized  for  the  remif- 
fion  of  fins."  For  the  remiffion  of  original  fin,  or  pollu- 
tion, for  of  this  is  he  fpeaking.  Again  he  fays,  "  The 
church  had  an  order  from  the  apoftles  to  give  baptifm  to 
infants. " 

Another  part  of  the  hiftory  of  infant  baptifm  we  have 
in  a  quotation  from  the  decifions  of  the  famous  council 
at  Carthage,  irrthe  year  253.  It  is  this:  "  From  bap- 
tifm  and  the  grace  of  God  none  ought  to  be  prohibited ; 
efpecially  infants  need  our  help  and  the  divine  mercy." 
We  have  a  farther  account  from  Auguftine,  who  flou- 
rifhed  about  the  middle  of  the  fourth  century.  His  words 
(writing  of  infant  baptifm)  are,  "  Let  none,  therefore,  fo 
much  as  whifper  any  ether  doctrine  in  your  ears  :  this  the 
church  hath  always  had,  has  always  held." 

The  next  we  hear  of  infant  baptifm  is,  that  the  prac- 
tice was  confirmed,  and  fo  put  beyond  difpute,  by  Pope 
Innocent  the  Firft. 

Now  fire  and  fword  were  the  all-conclufive  arguments 
ufed  for  the  conviction  and  reformation  of  all  who  refuted 
to  practife,  or  dared  to  call  in  queftion,  infant  baptifm, 
We  will  pafs  over  the  horrid  perfecutions,  which  now 
began  to  be,  and  have  ever  fmce  been  praclifed,  at  inter- 
vals, upon  thofe  who  would  not  fubmit  to  the  divine 
right  of  infants  to  baptifm,  as  conferred  on  them  by  the 
ghoftly  Popes  of  Rome. 

Luther,  the  famous  German  reformer,  fays,  "that  infant 
I   2  baptifm 

*Prcf.  Dickinfon  on  Baptifm, 


102         THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS    [SeiTH.  VI.] 

baptifm  was  not  determined  till  Pope  Tnnocentius ;"  and 
Grotius,  in  his  annotations  on  Matih.  xix.  fays,  "  it  was 
not  enjoined  till  the  Council  of  Carthage. "  * 

We  ought,  however,  to  trace  the  hiftory  of  infant  bap- 
tifm  one  Hep  farther,  and  notice  Calvin,  and  a  multitude 
fince,  who  were  unwilling  to  acknowledge  their  depen- 
dence on  the  Mother  of  Harlots,  for  their  authority  in 
this  matter  ;  and  therefore  with  great  ingenuity  have 
difcovered  infant  baptifm,  as  a  gofpel  ordinance,  or  the 
right  of  infants  to  it,  in  the  law  of  M'>fes.  Indeed  they 
have  fuppofed  that  this  doctrine  is  implied  in  a  number 
of  parages  of  the  New  Teftament.  Yet,  I  believe,  none 
who  praclife  it,  are  willing  to  venture  this  New  Tefta- 
ment ordinance  upon  New  Teftament  evidence. 

Here  you  fee  that  tradition  is -the  foundation  of  infant 
baptifm;  error,  the  belief  that  bapt'ifm  wajloes  away  original 
Jin,  the  nurfe  of  its  tender  age  ;  the  church  of  Rome,  the 
ccnfirmer  and  ftrong  defender  of  it  ;  and  the  long  fince 
iepealed,  ceremonial  law  of  Mofes  the  evidence  for  it. 
You  fee,  the  introduction  of  infant  baptifm  was  tradition. 
Upon  this  foundation  hath  it  manifeftly  retted  ever  fince. 
All  the  ingenious  arguments  of  learned  and  pious  men, 
can,  in  fact,  add  no  ftrengih  to  its  firii  foundation.  The 
firft  we  hear  of  it  is,  it  was  placed  upon  tradition,  and 
there  it  hath  refted,  or  been  ftanding  uneafily,  ever  fince. 

Befides,  this  tradition,  as  well  as  the  practice  which  fol- 
lowed, is  dovibtlefs  the  offspring  of  error,  and  man's  in- 
vention. At  bed  we  have  but  one  witnefs  for  it,  in  the 
mouth  of  whom  nothing  can  be  eftablifhed.  Origen  fays, 
w  The  church  had  an  order  from  the  A  potties."  Still  we 
have  but  one  witnefs.  Moreover,  the  very  expreflions 
of  the  Paedobaptifts  fhcw  that  they  were  frcm  the  begin- 
ning 
*  /Indent  Dialogue  Revifed, 


[Serm.  VI.]  ov  baptism.  103 

ning  oppofed  by  the  Baptifts.  Irenseus  fays,  "  We  have 
a  tradition."  Origen  fays,  "We  have  an  order."  The 
council  of  Carthage  fay,  "Infants  ought  not  to  be  pro- 
hibited from  baptifm."  Augufline  faith,  "  Let  none  fo 
much  as  whifper  any  other  doctrine  in  your  ears." — 
Does  not  every  fyllable  indicate  the  difpute  which  the 
Baptifts  had  with  the  inventers  and  fupporters  of  this 
anti-evangelical  principle  and  practice  ? 

It  is  worthy  of  a  moment's  confederation,  that  not  one 
of  the  mod  ancient  fathers  makes  the  lead  pretenfion  that 
infant  baptifm  is  fupported  by  fo  much  as  one  pafiage  in 
either  the  Old  Teftament,  or  the  New  ;  and  they  men- 
tion no  authority  but  tradition,  and  an  order  from  the  A- 
poflles,  &c.  which,  as  belt,  are  very  uncertain  things. 

Whoever  can  fix  their  faith,  continue  their  practice, 
and  venture  their  refponfibility,  on  fuch  a  traditionary 
foundation,  I  cannot.  Upon  this  foundation  for  our 
practice,  have  both  we  and  our  fathers  ventured  to  oppofe 
the  Baptifts,  with  greater  or  lefs  degrees  of  virulence  ; 
whilrt,  by  our  tradition,  we  have  greatly  injured  the  or- 
dinance  of  Chrift,  if  not,  in  this  inftance,  made  void  the 
law  of  God. 

In  fine  :  Was  not  infant  baptifm  flrft  introduced  to 
efcape  the  offence  of  the  crofs  ?  Is  it  not,  with  many,  un- 
knowingly continued  for  the  fame  end  ?  It  bringeth  the 
church  to  its  former  ftate  as  under  the  law.  If  I  yet 
preach  circumcijion,  why  do  I  yet  fulFer  perfecution  ?  then 
is  ihe  offence  of  the  crofs  ceafed.     Gal  v.  11. 


J04    ] 

y«y<jah— ex—TOtM a— mmmmm a— — — — — — — « 

THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS 

OF 

BAPTISM. 


SERMON    VII 


MATTHEW  XXVIII.  19,  so. 

Gcj<f,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  thensme 

of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghoji  ;  teach- 
ing them  to  obferve  all  things  ivhatfoever  I  have  commanded 
you  :  And,  lo,  I  am  tu'ith  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  ivor  Id.      Amen. 

I  HAVE  already  fet  before  you  the  principal  part  of 
what  I  intended  under  the  two  flrft  proportions  in 
my  text.     What  remains  is  to  bring  forward — 

III.  Chrlft's  command  to  all  his  miniftering  fervants 
to  teach  all  nations,  or  thofe  who  fhould  be  diicipled 
among  them,  to  obferve  all  things  whatfoever  he  had 
commanded  them.  And  then — 

Laftly,  His  comforting  and  Strengthening  promife, 
which  is,  And,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the 
end  of  the  world. 

To  thefe  propofitions  your  ferious,  Chriftian  attention 
is  requeued.      The  firft  is — 

III.  Chrift's  command  to  the  minifters  of  his  gofpel 
to  teach  all  nations,  or  thofe  who  fhould  be  difcipled 

among. 


[Setftl.  VII.]  OF  BAPTISM.  10^ 

among  them,  to  obferve   all  things  whatsoever  he  had 
commanded  them. 

Here  you  fee  the  extend venefs  of  my  orders  received, 
and  which  I  mutt  carefully  obferve,  would  I  be  obedi- 
ent unto  the  Heavenly  Teacher,  who  came  from  God. 

Chrift  Jefus,  when  perfonally  on  earth,  gave  a  new 
edition  of  his  own  and  his  Father's  mind  and  will.  In 
this  new  edition,  he  abrogated  or  left  out,  many  cere- 
monies of  the  old,  as  being  no  longer  ufeful.  Under 
the  old  edition,  the  church  was  in  its  childhood,  and 
therefore  under  inch  tutors  and  governors  as  were  not 
needed  in  her  riper  \ears.  In  this  new  edition,  Chrift 
hath  pointed  out  what  is  to  be  preferved  of  the  old.  The 
fum  of  the  moral  law,  and  the  prophets,  were  to  con- 
tinue in  force.  Thefe  are,  indeed,  in  the  very  nature  of 
things,  binding  on  accountable  creatur-es.  But  when 
Chrift,  the  anointed,  and  expected  Meffiah,  was  come, 
then  all  thole  rites,  facritices  and  typical  institutions  of 
the  ceremonial  law,  which  were,  together,  as  a  fchool* 
mafter  to  lead  the  obferver  to  Chrift,  were  difannulled, 
being  no  longer  of  uie. 

You  fee  what  minifters  have  authority  to  teach,  for 
both  doctrine  and  practice.  It  is  what  Chrift  hath 
commanded  them,  and  nothing  which  is  contrary  from 
it. 

In  time  pad  I  have  taught  you  the  precepts  of  Chrift, 
fomewhat  largely.  As  1  have  taught  them,  fo  you  have, 
as  is  believed,  received  them  to  the  faving  cf  your  fouls. 
The  ordinance  of  the  fupper  I  have  taught  in  its  fimpli- 
city,  and  fo  have  you  received  it.  You  have  alio  been  in- 
formed, that  Jefus  Chrift  appointed  baptifm,  as  an  ordi- 
nance to  be  obferved  in  his  church.  But  what  that  or^ 
cJinance  was,  and  who  were  the  fubjects  of  it,  you  have- 

not 


joft       THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS    [Sei'lD.  Vil.7 

not  been  particularly  told,  till  of  late.  Nor  bad  I,  till  a 
fhort  time  fmce,  a  clear  under  (landing  of  either.  I,  no* 
doubt,  ought  to  have  known  them  before,  but  till  I  did, 
1  could  not  teach  them  to  you.  Whan  I  came  to  the 
knowledge  of  them,  it  was  no  longer  in  my  power  to  be 
faithful  to  Chrift,  and  refufe  to  teach  them,  [n  the  iun- 
plicity  of  my  heart  have  I  taught  you  what  io  baptifra, 
and  who  are  to  be  baptized. 

Whether  thefe  things  be,  or  be  not,  agreeable  to  my 
former  notions  of  them,  is  nothing  to  the  point.  One 
thing  I  am  fettled  in,  I  have,  of  late,  taught  them  to 
you,  as  Chrift  hath  commanded  me. 

Not  only  was  it  my  duty  to  teach  you  thefe  things, 
but  I  am  commanded  to  teach  you  to  obferve  them  : 
for  then  are  you  Chrift's  difciples,  when  ycu  do  all 
things  whatfoever  he  hath  commanded  you. 

To  obferve   thefe  things,   is  like  obedient  children   to 
receive  inftruction,  and  then  to  fearch  the  fcriptures,  that 
you  may  know  how  thefe  things  are.       It  belongs  to  me 
to  teach  you — 

i.     To  obferve  thefe  things  till  you  underfland  them.  ; 
and' then — 

2.     To  obferve  them  in  your  practice. 

i.  Would  you  walk  in  all  the  flatutes  and  ordinan- 
ces of  the  Lord  blamelefs,  you  mud  obferve  thefe  things 
till  you  under  ft  and  them. 

You  and  I  have  been  unreasonably  prejudiced  againft 
light  and  truth  in  thefe  matters.  If  i  do  not  misjudge, 
the  I^ord  hath,  in  anfwer  to  prayer,  afforded  me'  the 
needed  light  and  knowledge  upon  the  fubject.  It  was 
not  in  a  day,  nor  in  a  month,  after  my  prejudices  re- 
ceived a  fnock,  and  my  mind  partial  conviction,  that 
I  obtained  fatisfacrioii.     Nor  can  I  expect  that  you  will* 

all 


[Serm.YIL]  of  baptism,  to? 

ail  of  you,  pc:Te~s  fuch  a  ready  mind,  as  to  give  up 
your  long,  and  admoft  inveterate,  prejudices,  and  receive 
the  liciht,  at  once.  It  is  by  little  and  little,  that  anti- 
chriftian  errors  muft  be  defltroyed  from  die  church,  and 
frcm  your  hearts,,  as  well  as  from  mine. 

.You  may  expect  to  find  me  ready,  at  any  time,  and  at 
all  times,  to  afford  you  every  inftruction,  and  to  anfwej 
any  objection  which  may  occur  to  your  candid  minds. 
You  mould  have  your  bibles  always  nigh  ycu,  and  pcf- 
fefs,  continually  a  prayerful,  teachable  fpirit.  Be  deter- 
mined to  hearken  to  ncne  but  Chrift,  and  to  be  obedi- 
ent to  all  his  commands. 

Be  careful  to  avoid  all  bitternefs  and  evil  fpeakiug. 
Wifdom  will  not  dwell  with  ft  rife  ;  nor  will  the  wrath 
man  work  the  righteoufnefs  of  God. 
2.  It  belongs  to  me  to  teach  you  to  obferve  the  or- 
dinance of  bantifin,  and  the  proper  farrecrs,  in  your 
practice.  You  mull  underftand  thefe  things  before  you 
can  acceptably  practife  them.  Some  of  you,  no  doubt, 
fufficiently  bnderftand  them  to  proceed  to  practice.  But 
I  have  not  thought  it  duty  to  batten  your  .  or  to 

lead  you  by  example,  left  the  minds  of  others  ihould  be 
injured.  It  is  a  time  to  weaken  prejudices,  and  not  to 
increafe  them.  Wifdom  dwells  with  prudence.  Many 
of  your  minds,  as  well  as  mine,  are,  with  pleating  ex- 
pectation, looking  forward  to  the  time,  when  we  may, 
with  nighly,  or  quite,  all  our  brethren  with  us,  keep  all 
the  ordinances  of  the  gofpel,  as  Chrift  hath  commanded 
us. 

When  you  fhall  underftand  thefe  thing?,  happy  will 
you  be  if  you  praclife  them  :  for  all  gofpel  obedience 
gives  pleafure  in  the  practice. 

As  Mofes  had  much  to  do  in  Egypt,  before  God  faid 
<inlo  him,  *  Speak  unto  the  people  that  they  go  forward,' 


xo8      the  mode  and  subjects  [Serin.  VII. J 

fo,  my  brethren,  I  may  have  much  to  do  before  things 
fhall  be  in  readinefs,  and  before  the  Lord  fhall  bid  me 
fpeak,  faying  unto  you,  Go  PottfrAttD.  But,  if  the  Lord 
will-,  I  would  live  to  fee  that  day. 

After  Ifrael  went  forward,  and  were  baptized  unto 
Mofes,  in  the  cloud,  and  in  the  fea,  they  had  a  tedious 
wildernefs  to  pafs ;  fo  it  may  be  with  us.  But,  mould 
we  obferve  the  pillar  of  cloud  and  of  fire,  we  fhall  come 
to  the  promifed  land  ;  and,  it  may  be,  with  much  fafety 
and  fpeed,  ihould  we  hearken  to  the  good  counfel  of 
Jolhua. 

You  know,  my  brethren,  as  it  is  my  duty  to  teach  rotl 
to  obferve  all  things  whatfoever  Chrift  hath  commanded 
me,  fo  it  is  your  duty  to  receive  inftrucljon,  and  be  obe- 
dient. Your  obedience  is  not  to  be  rendered  to  me,  but 
to  Jefus  Chrift,  and  to  the  word  of  his  teftimony. 

It  will  doubtlefs  occur  to  your  minds,  Wh-vn  fhall  we 
hear  ?     One  mini  ft  er  teaches  us  out  thing,  and  another 
teaches  us  differently.     You  are  to  hear  no  man  any  far- 
ther than  he  fhall  teach  you  as  the  man.  Chrift  Jefus  hath 
commanded  him.     Miniiters  have  no  authority,  any  far- 
ther than  they  receive  it  from  him.      He  hath  given 
them  no  power  to  teach,  but  what  He  hath  commanded. 
When   they  tranferibe   out  of  the  old  into  the   new  edi- 
tion of  God's  word  and  will,  and  tell  us  that  the  rite 
and  covenant   of  circumcifion  are  to  explain  to  us  the 
obfervance  of  a  New  Teitament  ordinance,  we  are  not 
obliged  to  believe  them,  unlefs  they  point  us  to  the  place 
where   Chrift  hath  fo  commanded.     You  are  to  obey 
them  who  have  the  rule  over  you.     But  even  Paul  was 
not  to  be  followed  any  farther  than  lie  followed    Chrift. 
So  it  ought  to  be  with  you,   in  hearkening  to  what  your 
teachers  fay.      Minifters   are  but   men,    and   they   have 

proved 


[Serm.  VII.  j  of  baptism.  109 

proved  themi'elves  to  be  fo,  by  changing  the  ordinance 
of  baptifm  into  quite  a  different  thing,  and  by  adminif- 
teii'ig  their  new  rite  to  Jhbjefts  to  whom  Tefus  Chrift  ne- 
ver commanded  it.  It  f*re!y  is  a  furprifmg  thing,  and 
not  to  be  accounted  for,  but  from  the  relics  of  humaa 
depravity,  that  fo  many  good  men  mould,  unknowingly, 
do  and  teach  things  which  are  quite  afide  from  what 
Chrift  hath  commanded  them. 

It  is  too  late  for  you,  my  hearers,  to  cloak  yourfelves 
under  what  great  and  good  men  have  faid  ;  for  the  truth 
of  the  Lord  hath  already  been  told  you.  Kad  I  not 
come  and  fpoken  to  you  this  word  of  Chrift,  you  would 
not  have  had  fin ;  but  now  have  you  no  cloak  for  di£ 
obedience.  We  now  come — 

hafklji  To  confider  Chrift's  comforting  and  ftrength- 
ening  promife  to  his  miniftering  fervants :  which  is* 
And,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
ivofld. 

Chrift  Jefus  hath  been  with  his  minifters :  and  he  will 
be— 

1.  In  preparing  them  for  their  office.  He  was  per- 
Tonally  with  his  firft  goipel  heralds,  for  the  fpace  of  three 
years,  or  more  ;  after  this  he  lefr  them  for  a  fhort  fpace 3 
in  thifrfhort  interval  they  pafTed  a  feveie  trial.  Ke  was 
with  them  again,  at  times,  for  forty  days.  Soon  after 
this  he  fent  his  Spirit  upon  them,  and  filled  them  with  k 
to  a  remarkable  degree.  Then  they  were  prepared  for 
their  office.  They  fpeedily  filled  it  remarkably,  and  the 
,  effect  was  wonderful.  Three  thoufand  were  converted 
in  a  day. 

Chrift  is  as  really,   though  not  fo  apparently,  with  all 
his  gofpel  meffengers  in  preparing  them  to  go  forth  in- 

bia  harveft.      Thofe,  who  have  not  Chrift  with  them, 
K  to 


'no      the  mode  and  subjects  [Serm.VIL] 

to  prepare  them  for  their  office,  are  but  aswolvesin  fheep's 
clothing,  when  they  go  forth  into  the  mini  ft  ry.  The)' 
preach  for  Jllihy  Jurrc,  and  frequent!)-  have  their  fit 
It  is-  too  often  the  cafe,  that\hoie,  whom  Chrift  hath 
prepared,  are  obliged  to  go  into  the  field,  or  make  tents 
for  theirfiipport,  whifft  fuch  as  run,  not  being  fent,  fwira 
in  luxury. 

2.  Jefus  Chrift  will  be  with  his  biinfeers  in  bringing 
divine  things  to  their  remembrance. 

It  is  the  Lord's  Spirit  which  caufeth  divine  truth  to 
occur  to  the  minds  of  his  fervants.  Truths,  which  have 
been  forgotten  for  months,  and  it  may  be  for  years,  or 
paflages  which  before  were  not  underflood,  may  be,  and 
not  unfrequently  are,  freih  and  plain  in  the  minds  of 
his  fervants,  for  their  comfort,  or  for  the  comfort  and 
inftriiiTtion  of  ethers,  or  for  the  comfort -and  edification. 
of  both. 

3.  Chrifr  will  be  with  his  miniflers  in  affording  them 
wifdom,  fortitude  and  faithfnlriefs. 

The  entrance  of  his  word  giveth  light.  He  maketh 
light  their  paths,  and  ordereth  all  their  Heps.  He  mak- 
eth their  feet  like  hinds'  feet,  and  caufeth  them  to  be 
fwifter  than  the  eagle,  flronger  than  lions,  wife  as  fer- 
pents,  and  harmlefs  as  doves.  With  what  wifdom  did 
Stephen  fpeak  !  With  what  fortitude  did  Peter,  Paul, 
and  a  thoufand  others,  addrefs  their  auditories  !  With 
what  wifdom  hath  he  made  his  fervants  to  fpeak  !  'With 
what  fortitude  to  bear,  with  what  faithfulnefs  to  endure, 
for  his  name's  fake  !  How  remarkably  hath  it  been  thus, 
in  times  of  perfecution"!  and  when  will  you  find  a  time,  when 
they  that  are  born  after  the  flefli  do  not  perfecute  thofe 
vho  are  born  after  the  Spirit  ?  How  often  is  it  the  cafe, 
minifters,  like  Paul,  wax  bold,  and  tedify  that  Jefus 

is 


_;ir..  VIL]        of  baptism.  II  r 

is  the   Chiiix,   and  what  are  his   word   and  inuitutions, 
they  are  perfecuted,  openly  or  mere  fecrstly  ! 

4.  Cftrift  is  and  will  he  with  his  mraiftefing  fervants, 
whilft  th«y  are  reproached  and  firffiering  for  his  name 
and  truth  Take. 

fays  to  them  all,  If  the  world  hate*  you.  ye  know 
it  hated  me  before  it  hated  y on.  When  ChriiVs 
minifiers  are  reviled  and  fuffer  for  his  fake,  his  truth 
and  Spirit  bear  their  fpirits  up.  He  gives  them  to  be- 
lieve and  know,  that  though  they  weep  now,  they  (hall 
foon  rejoice  :  that  their  light  afflictions,  which,  are  but 
for  a  moment,  are  preparing  them  for,  and  working  out 
for  them,  a  far  more  exceeding  and  an  eternal  weight  of 
glory. 

5.  Chrift  Jefus  will  be  with  Ids  faithful  ministers 
in  giving  them  to  fee  their  defire  upon  his 'enemies. 

This  appears  to  be  particularly  implied  in  my  text. 
They  are  commanded  to  go  and  difciple  all  nation:. 
Their  defire  is  to  fee  difciples  multiplied.  They  go 
forth,  Chrift  goes  forth  with  them.  Many  of  ChrifVs 
enemies  fubmit  to  his  yoke,  which  is  eafy,  and  to  his 
burden,  which  is  light.  In  this  are  they  gratified,  and 
their  defire  on  them  is  accompliihed. 

6.  Chrift  is  with  his  minifiers  in  explaining  and  de- 
fending his  truth. 

Plow  did  Peter,  Paul  and  others,  in  the  fir  ft  ages  of 
Chrifcianity,  explain  and  vindicate  the  truth,  to  the  con- 
founding of  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  !  Whenever,  in 
ages  fince,  he  hath  fpoken  the  word,  great  hath  be  211  the 
company,  or  force,  of  thofe  who  have  published,  explain- 
ed and  defended  it.  Martin  Luther,  John  Calvin,  and 
a  number  more  in  the  reformation,  were  like  flames  of 
fire  :  nothing  could  ftop  them  from  publifhing,  explain- 
ing 


112       THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS    [Serm.  VII.] 

jng  and  defending  the  truths  of  the  Saviour,  for  he  was 
with  them. 

You  will  afk,  How  is  it  that  Chrift  is  with  his  minif- 
ters,  when  they  contradict  one  the  other,  and  themfelves 
too  ?  Anfiver.  It  is  not  faid,  that  Chrifl  is  with  his 
minifters  in  explaining  and  defending  error.  Error  is 
human  ;  truth  is  divine.  When  minifters  undertake  to 
fapport  error,  they  go  without  ChriiVs  blefling  and  pre- 
fence  in  this  their  labour.  Hence  it  is  that  they  are  Co 
contradictory  and  inconfident  ;  and  are  obliged  to  wreft 
the  fcriptures  from  their  plain  and  eafy  fenfe,  to  fup- 
port  a  beloved  prejudice.  But  when  they  take  up  for 
truth,  plain  fcripture  fupports  them,  and  they  have  plain 
and  pleafant  work,  and  their  fubjects  fupported  with  eafe, 
as  vou  have  feen  whilfl  attending  to  the  feveral  truths  ia 
my  text. 

Befides,  it  may  be  the  cafe,  that  fome  very  good  men 
may  mix  truth  and  error,  the  commands  of  God 
and  their  own  traditions,?together  ;  and,  whiiit  practic- 
ing accordingly,  they  may  enjoy  a  comfortable  frame 
of  mind,  and  hence  conclude  that  their  beloved  com- 
pound is  all  from  heaven.  This  may  be  illuftrated  by 
the  following  example.  Mr.  S.  finds  it.  to  be  a  truth, 
that  his  infant  offspring,  as  well  as  every  thing  elfe, 
fhould  be  devoutly  given  to  God.  He  hath  received  and 
holds  *a  tradition  fr.om  the  fathers,  that  his  infants  fiiould 
be  baptized.  He  publicly  gives  them  to  the  Lord,  and 
folemnly  promifes  to  inftruct  them  in  the  way  of  truth 
and  duty.  He,  at  the  fame  time,  hath  the  ordinance  of 
baptifm  adminiftered  to  them,  or  adminifters  it  himfelf. 
During  the  whole  tranfaetion  he  poffeffes  much  comfort 
in  his  mind.  .His  confequence  is,  the  whole  matter  is 
according  to  truth,  jttft  as  God  would  have  it.     Is  not 

this 


[Serm.VIL]         of  baptism.  113 

this  going  a  little  too  much  by  fenfe,  and  not  quite 
enough  by  fcripture  ?  Does  it  not  contain  nfpiie  of  en- 
thulialm  \  Would  not  the  good  man  have  had  the  fame 
mental  fatfsfaction,  had  he  ported  the  fame  fpirituality, 
and  yet  had  omitted  that  part  which  is  enjoined  by  tra- 
dition only  ? 

Lafily :  The  Great  Captain  of  filvation  is  with  his 
minifters,  to  teach,  lead  and  comfort  them,  in  all  their 
trials,  in  all  their  ftraits.  Whofoever  will  leave  them, 
he  will  not.  Though  he,  the  Great  High  Prieft  of  our 
profeflion,  when  fuffering  for  his  people's  fins,  was  left 
alone — all  forfook  him  ;  yet,  whenever  his  friends  are 
afflicted,  he  kindly  calls,  faying,  Lo,  I  am  with  you. 
This  hath  been  the  (lay  of  good  men  in  all  ages,  in  all 
circumftances.  Thofe  who  have  wandered  about  in 
fheep  (kins  and  goat  fkins,  who  have  been  afflicted,  tor- 
mented, of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy,  have 
found  their  refuge  here.  There  is  nothing  like  this  to 
fupport  the  feeble,  diitreffed  foul.  When  godly  minif- 
ters  have  been  obliged  to  leave  their  people,  yes,  and 
their  families,  and  fometimes  their  native  country,  for 
the  truth  fake,  this  hath  fu  (rained  them — Chrift  was  r 
with  them.  Prefidcnt  Edwards,  for  a  noble  attempt  at 
partial  reformation,  was  con  (trained  to  flee  his  beloved 
charge  :  butChritt  was,  no  doubt,  with  him.  Should  I, 
for  laying  the  axe  at  the  root  of  the  tree,  be  obliged  to 
leave  you,  though,  for  the  prefent,  I  fee  no  particular 
reafon    to    apprehend    fuch  an   event,  yet   I   trufl;   this 

will  be    my   hiding  place Jefus,  who  will   be  with  \ 

me. 

APPLICATION. 

FROM  what  hath  been  faid  in  the  preceding.difcourfv. 
es,  it  appears— 

K  2-  :,;  That  • 


114        THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS   [Serm.  VII. ] 

I.  That  the  two  fides  of  the  controvert  between  the 
Baptifts  and  the  Paedobaptifts  ftand  thus. 

Before  I  (late  the  Two  fides  of  the  controversy,  it  is 
but  reafonable  that  I  define  thofe  whom  it  refpects. 
By  the  Baptifts,  on  one  fide,  I  mean  the  regular  Calvin- 
iftic  Baptifts.  By  the  Paedobaptifts,  on  the  other,  I  now 
intend  the  Calviniftic  Congregationalifts  among  them. 
I  give  this  definition,  that  I  may  be  clearly  underftood. 

You  fee  both  fides  are  Calvinifts,  that  is,  they  are 
agreed  in  what  are  ftyled  the  doctrines  of  grace.  They 
are  both  of  the  congregational  order,  as  it  refpects  the 
government  of  the  churches. 

Nov  for  the  controverfy,  and  it  is  this  :  The  Baptifts 
hold  immerfion  only  to  be  baptifm.  The  Paedobaptifts 
hold  that  fprinkling  may  be  fubftituted  for  immerfion, 
and  may  anfwer  juft  as  well. 

The  Baptifts  hold  that  the  fcriptures  know  nothing 
cf  a  Chriftian  ordinance  of  baptifm  for  unbelievers  and 
infidels.  The  Paedobaptifts  hold  that,  if  a  great  man, 
^vho  hath  a  thoufand  flares,  fnould  become  a  difciple, 
then  all  his  houfehold  are  to  be  counted  difciples,  and 
are  to  be  baptized. 

The  Baptifts  hold  that  the  church  of  the  New  Tefta- 
ment  is  c^mpofed  of  vifible  or  profeffed  faints.  The 
confiftent  Paedobaptifts  hold,  that  this  great  man,  his 
thoufand  Oaves,  together  with  his  wife  and  children,  all 
belong  to  the  gofpel  church,  though  he  only  be  a  be- 
liever in  Chnft. 

The  Baptifts  hold  that  none  have  a  light  to  partake 
of  the  Lord's  fnpper,  but  thofe  who  are  his  friends. 
The  confiftent  Psedobapt ifts  hold,  that  all  the  adults  in 
this  great  man's  houfehold,  if  they  be  net  guilty  of  grofs 
immorality,  have  a  right  te  come. 

The. 


[Serm.  VII.]       of  baptism.  115 

The  Baptifts  plead  New  Teftament  authority  for  the 
defence  of  their  principles  and  practice,  where  they  dif- 
fer from  their  brethren  of  the  Paedobaptiits.  The  Tx- 
dobaptiits  in  fupport  of  their  fentiments  plead  conveni- 
ence, and  the  covenant  and  rice  of  circumcifion,  which 
were  decaying,  waxing  old,  and  ready  to  vanifh  away, 
more  than  1700  years  ago. 

The  Baptifts  bring  nighly  threefcore  texts  of  fcripture, 
which  are  plainly  and  fully  to  their  point  in  favour  of 
immerfion.  The  Pxdobaptiils  mention  three  or  four 
texts,  which,  at  moft,  are  but  very  doubtfully  in  their 
•favour ;  and,  when  righly  underilood,  appear  fully 
againit  them. 

What  advantage,  my  brethren,  have  the  Paedobaptifts 
over  the  Baptifts  ?  and  with  what  crime,  or  error,  in 
this  matter,  do  they  ftand  convicted  ? 

2.  It  appears  that  gofpel  minifters  have  no  authority 
to  teach  Chriftians,  that  their  children  and  fervants 
fhould  be  baptized,  bccaufe  Abraham's  were  circumcifsd. 

Chrift  hath  no  where  commanded  them  to  teach  thus. 
Chrift  hath  no  where  commanded  them  to  teach  infant 
baptifm  at  all,  or  baptifm  upon  the  faith  another  :  much 
lefs,  that  they  are  to  be  baptized  becaufe  Abraham's 
were  circumcifed. 

3.  It  appears,  that  many  of  the  pious  and  learned 
clergy  °f  New  England  have  made  fome  noble  and  pro- 
miilng  advances  towards  truth  in  this  matter  ;  yet  in 
this  they  are  inconfiilent  with  themfelves. 

They  will  receive  none  to  the  communion  but  fuch  as 
profefs  faith  in  our  Lord  Jefus  Ghrift,  as  well  as  repent- 
ance for  fin  :    and  they  will  adminiiter   baptifm  to  the 
children  of  no  other.     H°re,  in  two  indances,  they  refufe 
"to  follow  the  law  of  circumcifion.     One,  in  refufing  to 

admit 


Il5        THE   MODE  AND  SUBJICTS    [Sei'lTi.  VII.] 

admit  to  the  fttpper  impenitent,  though  civil,  baptized 
perlbns  ;  the  other,  in  not  admitting  to  baptifm  the 
children  of  all  thole  who  have  been  baptized.  This  is 
confident  with  truth  fo  far  as  it  goes  ;  but  inconfift- 
cnt  with  the  notion  that  the  fubjefts  of  baptifm  are  to  be 
determined  from  the  fubjecb  of  circumcifion. 

Thefe  good  men,  fo  long  as  they  poffefs  their  prefent 
light,  muft  come  over  to  the  true  Baptift  ground,  or  fub- 
mit  to  the  imputation  of  inconfiftency.  I  vvifli  them  to 
come  over.  For  myfelf,  I  expect  to,  though  my  carnal 
nature  hates  the  name  of  a  Baptiit,  as  much  as  theirs 
does.  But  my  better  judgment  tells  me,  that  the  Bapr 
tills  are  on  the  gofpel  ground. 

4.  It  is  a  matter  of  lamentation,  that  pious  and  learn- 
ed minifters  have  not  a  little  more  felf-denial :  then  they 
might  be  COB fi (lent  with  themfelves  and  with  truth  too. 
Could  I  be  with  them,  and  afi*  them  this  plain  queftion, 
Da  you  not  find  a  little  backwardness  from  fearchmg 
critically  into  the  primitive  meaning  and  practice  of 
baptifm  ?  I  fear  they  would  anfwer  with  fome  reluc- 
tance. 

To  me,  I  confefs,  it  appears  an  hard  cafe,  that  the 
Baptifts  mould  fuffer  fo  much  reproach,  merely  on  ac- 
count of  their  fentiments,  when  many  of  our  beft  old 
divines  have  given  them  the  ground,  and  confeft,  that 
their  fentiments,  as  to  the  mode,  are  from  heaven,  and 
ours  from  convenience.  Our  oppofition  to  them, 
on  account  of  the  fubj eels,  appears  but  little  better, 
being  but  poorly  fupported  by  fcripture  :  they 
having  the  plain  word,  and  full  current  of  all  the 
prophets  from  Mofes  to  Malachi,  fo  far  as  they  have 
fpoken  of  the  gofpel  church,  together  with  the  New 
Teftament,  in  their  favour  j  whilft  for  us,  in  this  particu- 
lar, 


[Serin.  VIL]  of  baptism,  i  iy 

lar,  nothing  better  can  be  alledged,  than  the  antiquated 
rite  o£  circurncifon.  If  the  Baptiits  be  right,  why  not 
pin  them,  and  fufrer  frnall  inconveniences?  If  wrong, 
why  not  prove  them  fo  ?  It  is  pitiful  that  great  and 
good  men  mould  be  dallying  with  inconclufive  argu- 
ments, when  the  time  is  long  fmce  come,  that  the  high* 
.fs  fhould  be  fo  plain,  that  wayfaring  men% 
though  fools,  mould  not  err  therein. 

5.  We  fee  why  good  men  have  been  io  divided 
among  themfelves,  as  to  infant  baptifm. 

The  reafon  is,  they  go  without  Chrift,  in  this  matter. 
He  is  not  divided. 

Some  baptize  all.  Others  will  baptize  only  the  chil- 
dren in  the  houfeholds  of  communicants.  Some  bap- 
tize upon  the  half-way  covenant.  Some  will  baptize  all 
vho  are  under  age.  Again,  others  will  baptize  all 
under  feven.  Others  (till  will  baptize  upon  the  good 
promifes  of  godfathers  and  godmothers.  You  will  ob- 
ferve  I  ufe  the  word  baptize  in  a  fenfe  which  I  believe 
to  be  improper,  but  I  would  not  offend  you  with  a  word, 
when  my  meaning  may  be  underftood.  But  what  pro- 
priety is  there  in  all  this  inconfiftency  about  the  fubjects 
of  baptifm  !  Does  not  the  matter  look  as  though  there 
were  no  rule  to  go  by,  or  as  though  none  underftood 
what  it  was  ! 

6.  We  fee  why  good  men,  when  writing  or  fpeak* 
ing  of  baptifm,  are  left  to  fpeak  untruths. 

It  is  doubtlefs  becaufe  they  will  follow  their  own  pre- 
judices, and  not  the  truth.  Error  hath  divided  them3 
and  C&rift  is  not  with  them  in  what  they  fay.  Some 
good  men,  not  many,  dare  a/Tert,  in  oppofition  to  the 
Baptifts,  that  there  is  not  a  word  about  immerfion  for 
baptifm,  in  all  the  Bible.     For  laymen  to  fay  thus  is  pre- 

Jumpthn^ 


lY8  i  mode  and  subjects  [Serm.YIL] 

ion,  and  for  men  o£  /earning  to  make  the  a /Tertian,  is 
.  -d-nable.  For  they  know,  or  ought  to  know, 
the  Tccra,  to  baptize,  is  not  once  mentioned  in  ail 
the  Bible  but  imsneriion  is  mentioned,  unlefs  they  mean 
to  play  upon  the  word  ;  and  then  it  is  a  truth,  when  lap- 
tisid  is  mentioned,  immerfion  is,  if  they  will  give  it  its 
plain,  literal  Englifh. 

If  the  Baptifts  have  the  plain,  literal  and  unequivocal 
fsnfe  of  the  fcripture,  in  their  favour,  is  it  net  enough, 
that  they  are  defpifed  and  periecuteu,  by  the  wicked  of 
every  clafs,  and  not  helped  by  any  ;  but,  mull  we  add 
to  their  a£iiclion,  by  falfehood,  or  equivocation!  O 
prejudice,  what  wilt  thou  not  do,  even  in  a  faint ! 

Befides,  cur  good  brethren,  who  are  fo  warm  againfl 
the  Baptids,  and  will  not  allow  them  a  word  for  their 
mode,  do  not  agree  together  to  inform  us  what  the  mode 
fnould  be.  One  tells  us,  it  is  fprinkling,  another  fays, 
poufing  is  the  mode,  a  third  contends  for  warning  the 
face,  a  fourth  is  for  putting  water  on  the  back  of  the 
neck,  as  the  Swifs  are  faid  to  do  ;  whilft  others  amrm, 
that  all  thefe  are  right.  Now.  fuppofe  the  Baptifts  are 
wrong,  who  fhall  we  fay  are  in  the  right,  or  is  there  no 
right  in  this  bufmefs?  Does  not  all  this  look  juft  as  it 
would  were  there  an  error  at  the  bottom  ?  Hath  the 
Great  Teacher,  who  came  from  God,  left  matters  thus, 
at  loofe  ends  ?  Does  the  Bible  thus  diirer,  whilft  point- 
ing out  the  mode  ?  No.  Its  language  is  pure  and  de- 
terminate. 

7.  It  appears,  that,  in  infant  fprinkling  for  baptifm, 
the  intent  of  the  inititution  is  loft,  and  becomes  no  CI:rh« 
tian  ordinance   at  all. 

Both  the  thing  itfelf  and  the  fubje&s  of  it  are  chang- 
ed,    It  is  quite  a  different  thing  from  what  the-  Indian 


[Serm.VIL]         of  baptism.  119 

tor  hath  appointed.  Neither  this  mode,  nor  thefe  fub- 
•  jects,  are  known  in  the  institution,  nor  in  any  paffage  of 
the  Bible,  where  baptifm  is  mentioned.  This  mode  b 
of  man's  device,  and  the  fubjecls  of  it  have,  at  beft,  tut 
a  traditional  right.  For  good  men  to  do  thus,  whilft 
they  think  it  confident  with  truth,  appears  to  be  a  Cm  of 
ignorance  ;  but,  if  any  do  thus,  while  they  know  what 
the  fcriptures  enjoin,  their  practice  deferves  a  harder 
name. 

8.  It  appears  that  dipping,  immerfion,  or   burying, 
.  in  the  name  of  the  Father,   and  of  the  Son,   and   of  the 

Holy  Gholl,  is  baptifm. 

No  man  of  real  piety,  and  folid  learning,  ever  doubt- 
ed it.  Whereas,  fprmkltng  hath  been  doubted  by  many, 
denied,  continually,  by  a  large  claft  of  Christians,  and  been 
proved  by  none  to  have  been  ever  appointed  as  the  Chrif- 
tian  ordinance  of  baptifm. 

9.  We  fee,  that  every  plea  which  hath  been  made,  for 
a  general,  or  partial  neglect  of  the  fcripture  mode  of 
baptifm,  is  an  indirect,  though  unintentional,  charge  of 
negligence,  or  want  of  benevolence,  or  of  forcfight,  in  the 
Divine  lnftit«tor.  Let  every  man  of  candour  and  com- 
mon fenfe  examine  this  matter.  Did  not  the  Lord,  who 
made  our  northern  climes,  know  how  cold  they  are  ? — 
Did  he  know  them  to  be  too  cold  for  his  difciples  who 
might  live  in  them,  to  be  feparated  from  the  world  by 
being  vifibly  buried  and  railed  again  to  join  his  kingdom  ? 

Why  then  did  he  not  mention  an  exception  in  our  fa- 
vour ?  and  not  leave  us  to  fuifer  this  inconvenience,  or  be 

in  perpetual  uncertainty,  and  continual  difpute.  to  de- 
fend our,  at  beft,  but  doubtful  practice  ?  Did  he  not 
perfectly  know  all  the  compelling  necejjities,  which  Cyprian 
?,\\X  others  would,  in  their  erring  judgments,  find  to  break 

ever 


ISO        THE  MODE  AND  SUBJECTS    [Serm.VlI.] 

•  over  the  bounds  of  the  baptifmal  inftitution  ?  Why  then 
did  he  make  no  provifion  for  thefe  extreme  cafes  ?  By 
doing  thus,  he  would  have  laved  the  Pasdobaptifts  a 
world  of  anxiety,  contention  and  ceniure.  The  fact  ap- 
pears to  be,  that  our  Lord  intended,  that  the  way  of  ad- 
miflion  into  his  kingdom  (hould  be  uniform,  and  that 
thofe,  who  would  not  fubmit  to  it,  fhould  fuffer  the  in- 
convenience of  darknefs,  error  and  ftrife. 

10.  From  what  hath  been  faid  in  the  preceding  dif- 
courfes,  is  not  the  following  a  fair  and  undeniable  con- 
clufion  ?  That  I  and  other  Psdobaptift  mini  iters,  fo  far 
as  we  have  fpoken  a  word  againft  the  Baptifts,  and  ef- 
peciaily  that  thofe,  who  have  publicly  warned  their  peo- 
ple to  avoid  the  Baptifts  and  flee  from  them,  as  from  a 
dividing  and  dangerous  herefy,  have  in  this  matter  acted 
the  part  of  the  old  fcribes,  Pharifees,  hypocrites — who 
would  not  go  into  the  kingdom  of  God  themfelves,  and 
thofe  who  were  entering,  they  hindered. 

I  by  no  means  fuppofe  that  all  who  have  done  thus, 
are  indeed  hypocrites,  fave  in  this  particular.  No  rea- 
fonable  doubt  can  be  entertained,  but  many  of  them  are 
learned,  pious  and  very  ufeful  men  ;  men,  whom  the 
Lord  hath  greatly  honoured  as  labourers,  in  gathering  in 
the  harveft  of  fouls.  Many  of  thefe  have  been,  in  mea- 
fure,  bold,  zealous  and  faithful,  like  Peter ;  yet  when 
they  diffemble,  or  teach  and  practife  contrary  from  the 
truth,  they  are  to  be  blamed,  yes,  they  are,  in  this  in- 
ftaace,  worthy  to  be  rebuked. 

It  would,  indeed,  be  very  injudicious  in  me  to  con- 
tend, that  all  which  the  Baptifts  have  faid  anchdcne  is 
juftifiable.  It  would  be  equally  injudicious  to  juftify 
myfelf,  or  my  brethren,  where  we  have  both  faid  and 
done  things  contrary  from  the  church  and  name  qf  Jefus 

of 


[Serm.VIL]  of  baptism.  121 

of  Nazareth.  It  is  time  for  both  ministers  and  people  to 
look  to  this  matter,  left  the  Lord  fend  leannefs  into  our 
fouls. 

1 1.  From  a  review  of  the  whole  fubject,  the  following 
inference  appears  natural,  and  at  the  fame  time  worthy 
of  much  confideration.  The  divinely  conftituted  method 
by  which  any  of  the  fallen  race  are  to  enter  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  below,  remarkably  fets  to  our  view 
the  way  by  which  we  are  to  commence  perfect  members 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  above.  Our  obedience  to  the 
former  is  a  practical  declaration  of  our  faith  in  the  latter. 

In  joining  ChriiVs  kingdom  on  earth,  we  profeifedly 
die  unto  fin,  go  down  to  the  grave,  are  buried,  and  rife, 
as  from  the  dead.  To  join  the  kingdom  of  glory,  we 
muft  actually  experience  what  is  but  fhadowed  forth  in 
baptiim.  We  muft  die,  be  buried,  or  return  to  the  duft, 
and  rife  from  the  dead. 

How  exactly  do-th  our  entrance  into  the  church  mili- 
tant fnadow  forth  our  hoped  for  entrance  into  the  church 
triumphant !  It  alfo  appears  that  Cbrift  hath  directed, 
that  the  fubjects  of  the  one  mould  be  profeiTedly,  what 
the  fubjects  of  the  other  mall  be  actually,  all  faints. 

How  beautiful  doth  the  church  appear,  fo  far  as  ihe 
obferves  the  commands  of  her  Lord,  as  to  the  members 
which  fhe  admits,  and  the  manner  of  receiving  them-! 
She  thus  refembles  Jerufalem,  which  is  above,  which  is 
the  mother  of  us  all,  if  we  be  Chriftians.  May  the  Lord 
direct  our  hearts  into  the  love  of  the  truth. 

In  the  conclufion  of  the  whole,  it  becomes  us  to  add, 
to  the  truths  delivered,  what  Chriit  Jefiis  added  tc  my 
teat  :     Amen. 

L 


C    i«3   3 

A  MINIATURE  HISTORY 

OF   THE 

BAPTISTS. 

IT  may  be  pleafmg  to  fome  of  my  readers  to  be  pre- 
ferred with  a  brief  account  of  the  Baptifts.  I  fhall 
extract  this  account  from  the  writings  of  thofe  who  were 
not  of  the  Baptifts'  denomination, ,  but  rather  prejudiced 
againft  them. 

Here  it  may  be  obferved,  that  the  religious  feci,  called 
Baptiils,  have  caufed  the  learned  world  more  perplexity 
and  refearch  to  decypher  their  origin,  than  any  other 
feci  of  Christians,  or,  perhaps,  than  all  others.  Yes,  this 
refearch  hath  bafHed  all  their  erudition  in  ancient  ftory. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  fix  the  period  when  one  feci  of 
this  denomination  was  fir  ft  culled  Petrobrufians,  when 
another  was  known  by  the  name  of  Waterlandians, 
a  third  was  denominated  Mennonites,  Sec.  But  the  dif- 
ficulty is  this,  to  ascertain  the  time,  place  and  medium, 
by  which  Chrift's  difciples  were  led  to  adopt  the  peculiar 
fentiment,  which  is  now  held  by  thofe  called  Baptifts, 
and  which  diftingaiihes  them  from  all  other  denomina- 
tions. 

It  may  be  farther  obferved,  that  if  no  one,  however 
led  and  wife,  be  able  to  trace  this  feci:  to  any  begin- 
ning fhort  of  the  days  of  the  apoftles,  or  of  Chrift,  it  is 
poSlble  that  it  then  arofe.  Befides,  if  all  other  religious 
denominations,  or  the  Pcedobaptifts,  who  include  ail 
which  are  not  Baptifts,  can  be  traced  to  a  probable  origin 

fkort 


124  A  MINIATURE  HISTORY 

ihort  of  the  apoftles,  and  the  Baptifts  cannot  be,  it  af- 
fords ftiil  more  probability,  that  they  might  have  arifen 
then. 

I  v>im  my  readers  to  indulge  me  one  queftion,  and  to 
give  me  an  explicit  anfwer.  Are  you  willing  to  have 
the  origin  of  the  Baptifts  fairly  explored,  and  to  open 
your  eyes  to  the  light,  fhould  light  be  afforded  ? 

You  cannot,  my  Chriftian  readers,  unlefs  your  minds 
be  unduly  fwayed  by  prejudice,  do  otherwife  than  fay 
Yes.  For,  though  you  be  not  very  friendly  to  the  Bap- 
tifts, you  will  not  deny  them  what  you  grant  to  your 
worft  enemy,  liberty  to  fpeak  the  truth,  and  that  tru^h 
its  weight,  at  leaft  in  meafure. 

It  ought  to  be  particularly  noted,  that  my  object  is 
not  to  give  the  hiftory  of  a  name,  but  of  a  principle.  I 
fhail  not  contend  who  were  firft  called  Baptifts,  Anabap- 
tifts,  Mennonites,  or  the  like  ;  but  who  have  held  the  pe- 
culiar fentiment  which  is  adopted  by  thofe  who  are  cal- 
led Baptifts.  Wherever  we  find  this  principle,  there  we 
find  the  men,  the  Chriftians,  who,  had  they  lived  in  our 
day,  would  be  ftyled  Baptifts.  Nor  is  the  prefent  con- 
troverfy  this,  whence  came  that  mode  of  baptifm,  which 
is  practifed  by  all,  who  are  known  by  the  name  Baptifts. 
For  this  mode  is  granted,  generally,  if  not  univerfally, 
by  all  learned  and  honeft  men,  to  be  as  ancient  as  John 
the  Baptift  and  the  apoftles.  This  mode  is,  indeed,  not 
peculiar  to  the  Baptifts,  for  the  Pcedobaptifts,  for  many 
centuries,  practifed  this  mode  ;  and  many  of  them  do,  to 
this  day,  practife  immerfion. 

The  peculiar  charaeteriftic  of  the  Baptifts  is  this : 
They  hold,  that  the  ordinance  of  baptifm  is  to  be  admi- 
niftered  to  adults,  or  to  vifible  believers  only. 

Oae  natural  coufequence  of  this  principle  is,  when  any 

one 


OF  THE  BAPTISTS.  125 

one  who  was  baptized,  or  fprinkled,  in  his  infancy,  ccmes 
over  to  the  B.iptifts'  fentiment,  they  require  him  to  be 
baptized.  Hence  they  are  called  Anabaptifts.  Another 
very  natural  confequence  is,  this  fentiment  conftrains  the 
Baptifts  to  oppofe  the  baptifm  of  infants.  Hence  they 
are  diflinguifned  by  the  name  of  Antipcedobaptifts. 

I  mall  add  one  obfervation  more,  and  then  proceed  to 
give  you  a  friccincl  hiftory  of  the  Baptifts.  The  obfer- 
vation is  this  :  Whenever  and  wherever  I  find  perfons, 
who  hold  the  peculiar,  characleriftic,  fentiment  of  the 
Baptifts,  I  (hall  call  them  by  that  name.  Their  hiftory 
now  follows. 

[.  The  origin  of  the  Baptills  can  be  found  no  where, 
unlefs  it  be  conceded,  that  it  was  at  Jordan,  or  Enon. 

Dr.  Mofheim,  in  his  hiftory  of  the  Baptifts,  fays,  "The 
true  origin  of  that  fed:,  which  acquired  the  denomination 
of  the  Anabaptifts  by  their  adminiftering  anew  the  rire 
of  baptifm  to  thofe  who  come  over  to  their  communion, 
and  derived  that  of  Mcnnonites  from  the  famous  man  to 
whom  they  owe  the  greateft  part  of  their  prefent  felici- 
ty, is  hid  in  the  remote  depths  of  antiquity,  and  is  of  confe- 
quence extremely  difficult  to  be  afcertained." 

Here,  Dr.  Molheim,  as  learned  an  hiftorian,  though 
not  fo  candid  a  one,  as  the  fcience  of  letters  can  boaft, 
bears  pofitive  teftimony,  that  the  origin  of  the  Baptifts 
is  hidden  in  die  remote  depths  of  antiquity.  Nothing  is  more 
evident,  than  this  ;  the  Dr.  either  knew  not  their  origin, 
or  was  not  candid  enough  to  confjefs  it.  At  leaft,  we 
have  this  coiiclunon,  that  he  could  End  their  origin  no 
where  fhort  of  the  apoftles. 

II.     A  large  number  of  the  Baptifts  were  fcattered, 
opprefFed,  and  perfecuted,  through  many,  if  not  through 
all.  the  nations  of  Europe,  before  the  dawn  of  the  refer- 
L  2  xr.ation  . 


126  A  MINIATURE  HISTORY 

mation  under  Luther  and  Calvin.  When  Luther,  fecond- 
ed  by  feveral  princes  of  the  petty  fhtes  of  Germany, 
arofe  in  oppofition  to  the  overgrown  ufurpations  of  the 
church  of  Rome,  the  Baptiils  aifo  arofe  from  their  hid- 
ing  places.  They  hoped  that  what  they  had  been  long 
expecting  and  praying  for  was  now  at  the  door  :  the 
time  in  which  the  fufferings  of  God's  people  mould  be 
greatly  terminated :  but  God  had  not  failed  Luther's 
views  of  reformation  to  nigh  the  height  the  Baptifls 
were  expecting.  Their  deteftation  of  the  Mother  of 
Harlots,  owing  to  their  bitter  experience  of  her  cruel- 
ties,  and  the  clear  gofpel  light  with  which  they  had 
been  favoured  above  Luther,  and  their  ardent  defire  to 
i*e  utterly  delivered  from  her  cruel  opprefftons,  made 
them  wifh  to  carry  the  reformation  farther  than  God 
had  appointed  Luther  to  accompliih.  They  were  foon 
difappointed  in  Luther,  and  probably  did  not  duly  ap- 
preciate the  reformation  which  he  was  inflrumentaily  ef- 
fecting. It.  was  as  might  have  been  expected  ;  the  Lu- 
therans and  the  Baptiils  fell  out  by  the  way  ;  and  Cal- 
vin, if  not  Luther,  warmly  oppofed  them.  See  Mofheim, 
Cent.  XVI.  Chap.  iii.  Se3.  3,  Part  2. 

Mofneim,  vcl.  IV.  page  427,  fpeakirrg  of  the  Baptifb, 
fays,  "This  feet  darted  up  all  of  a  fudden,  in  feveral 
countries,  at  the  fame  point  of  time,  and  at  the  very  pe- 
riod when  the  firft  conteits  of, the  reformers  with  the 
Roman  Pontiffs  drew  the  attention  of  the  world. " 
From  this  we  have  one  plain  and  fair  deduction  ;  that 
the  Baptifts  were  before  the  reformation  under.  Luther 
and  Calvin,  and  therefore  did  not  take  their  rife  from 
the  Enthufiafh  under  Munzer  and  Store k,  or.  at  that 
time  ;  or  at  Mumler. 

III.     The  Huflites,  in  the  fifteenth  century,  the  VEtc- 

liffites. 


OF  THE  BAPTISTS.  12? 

llffites,  in  the  fourteenth,  and  the  Petrobrufians,  in  the 
twelfth,  and  the  Waldenfes,  were  all  Baptifts.  To  this 
facl:  Dr.  Mofheim  bears  the  following  teftimony.*  W  It 
may  be  obferved  that  the  Mennonites  (i.  e.  the  Baptifts 
of  Eaft  and  Weft  Friefland,  Holland,  Gelderland,  Bra- 
bant, Weftphalia  and  other  places  in  the  North  of  Eu- 
rope) are  not  entirely  miflahm,  when  they  boaft  their  de- 
fcent  from  the  Waldenfes,  Petrobrufians  and  other  an* 
dent  fects,  who  are  ufually  confidered  as  nottneffes  of  the 
truth  in  times  of  univerfal  darknefs  and  fuperftition.  Be- 
fore the  rife  of  Luther  and  Calvin,  there  lay  concealed  in 
almfl  all  the  countries  of  Europe,  particularly  in  Bohemia, 
Moravia,  Switzerland  and  Germany,  many  perfons, 
who  adhered  tenacioufly  to  the  following  doctrine,  which 
the  Waldenfes,  Wicklifntes  and  Huffi'tes  had  maintain- 
ed ;  fome  in  a  more  difguifed  and  others  in  a  more  open 
and  public  manner,  viz.  That  the  kingdom  ofChrifl,  or  the  vifible 
church,  he  had  ejlabli/hed  upon  earth,  was  an  ajfembly  of  true 
and  real  faints,  and  ought  therefore  to  be  inaccejfible  to  the  wick- 
ed and  unrighteous,  and  afo  exempt  from  all  thofe  mflitutions 
which  human  prudence  fuggefls  to  oppefe  the  progrefs  of  iniqui- 
ty, or  to  correct  and  reform  tranfgr -effors.  This  maxim  is  the 
true  fource  of  all  the  peculiarities,  that  are  to  be  found 
in  the  religious  doctrine  and  difcipline  of  the  Menno- 
nites, (or  Baptifts  in  the  North  of  Europe)  and  it  is 
moil  certain  that  the  greaitfl part  of  thefe  peculiarities  were 
approved  of  by  many  of  thofe  who,  before  the  dawn  of 
tfie  reformation,  entertained  the  notion  already  men- 
tioned relating  to  the  vifible  church  of  Chrift." 

From  this  teftimony  of  Dr.  Mofheim  we  may  re- 
mark— 

2,     That  the  Mennonites  were  Baptifts,   or  Anabap- 

tifts, 
*  Vol  IV.  pp.  428,  429, 


1*8  A  1WKIAXURE  HISTORY 

-rent  names  he  ufes  to  exprefs  one  and 
(he  lug. 

2.  That  the   Petrob: 

B.ip:.  Hows  it,   that   they 

their  progenitors  in  principle  and  pradlce.  Befides,  in 
bis  hiftory  -ft'::  twelfth  century,  part  II.  chap.  v.  fed. 
7,  he  ex;;:  U  us,  that  one  of  their  tenets  was,  tbtt 

}i%ed  bsfcrc  they  werl 

3.  That  the  Waldenic  1  Hufnteswere 

for   as  Mo&eim   {ays,   they   all    held  to  the 

is  the  true  fource  of  all 

the  pecu'..  that  are  ::>  be   found  in  the   religious 

Thefe  feve- 

But 
i    and   difc  :re   the  fame   with   our 

id-     In    other  words ;  juil  fo  far  as  they  were  con- 

\:x:m,  and  juQ  fo  far 
it  and 
.  Bap- 

i&s,  Pe- 

ld  other  ancient  feds  (i.  e.  c:  ...     Baptifts) 

ig  been  witnefles  of  the 

.fs  and  uni  ".it ion. 

i 

5.     That  b:  '  Luther  and  Calvin,, there 

r:es  cf  Europe,  par- 

ia,  Switzerland  and  Germa- 

I  the  fame  dedrine  and   dif- 

:•;  with  the  E  if  i&*  in  ear  day,  and  w«re,  of  ne- 

cciTary 


OF  THE  BAPTISTS.  I  29 

deffary    and  fair  ccnfequence,  of  the  fame  denomina- 
tion. 

IV.  We  have  already  traced  the  Baptifts  down  to 
the  twelfth  century.  We  have  alfo  found  that  they  were 
fcattered  over  almoft  all  the  countries  of  Europe,  and 
were,  in  the  dark  ages  of  popery,  the  witneifes  of  the 
truth  :  or  hive  been  ufually  thus  confidered.  Befides, 
we  have  found  that  the  Waldenfes  were,  in  prin- 
ciple and  practice*  Baptifts ;  or  in  other  words,  we  have 
found  that  the  Waldenfes  were  Baptifts.  We  will  now 
fee  to  what  origin  we  can   trace  the  Waldenfes. 

Dr.  Madame,  who  tranflated  Mofheim's  church  hif- 
tory  from  the  original  Latin,  gives  us,  vol.  III.  pages 
118,  119,  under  note,  G,  the  following  hiftory  of  the 
Waldenfes.  His  words  are,  "V/e  may  venture  to  af- 
firm the  contrary  (i.  e.  from  what  Mofheim  had  jail 
faid  of  the  Waldenfes  taking  their  name  from  Peter  Wal- 
dus)  with  Beza  and  other  writers  of  note;  for  it  feems 
evident,  from  the  beft  records,  that  Valdus  derived  his 
name  from  the  true  Valdenfes  of  Piedmont,  whofe  doc- 
trine he  adopted,  and  who  were  known  by  the  names  of 
Vaudois  and  Valdenfes,  before  he,  or  his  immediate  fol- 
lowers, exifted.  If  the  Valdenfes,  or  Waldenfes,  had  de- 
rived their  name  from  any  eminent  teacher,  it  would 
probably  have  been  from  Valdo,  who  was  remarkable 
for  the  purity  of  his  doctrine,  in  the  ninth  century,  and 
was  the  cotemporary  and  chief  counfellor  of  Berenga- 
rius.  But  the  truth  is,  that  they  derive  their  name 
from  their  vailies  in  Piedmont,  which  in  their  lan- 
guage are  called  Vaux.  Hence  Vaudois,  their  true 
nam-:  Hence  Peter,  (or  as  others  call  him  John)  or 
Lysns,  was  called  in  Latin  Valdus,  becaufe  he  had 
adopted  their  doctrine ;  and  hence  the  term  Valdenfes 

and 


J.30  A  MINIATURE  HISTORY 

and  Waldenfes,  ufed  by  thofe  who  write  in  Engliih,  or 
Latin,  in  the  place  of  Vaudois.  The  bloody  Inquifuor 
Reinerus  Sacco,  who  exerted  Inch  a  furious  zeal  for  the 
destruction  of  the  Waldenfes,  lived  but  about  eighty 
years  after  Valdus  of  Lyons,  and  muft  therefore  be  fup- 
pofed  to  know  whether  or  not  he  was  the  real  founder 
of  the  Valdenfes,  or  Leoniits  ;  and  yet  it  is  remakable, 
that  he  fpeaks  c£  the  Leoniils  as  a  fed  that  had  flourifh- 
ed  about  five  hundred  years  ;  nay,  mentions  authors  of 
note,  who  make  their  antiquity  remount  to  the  apoflolic 
age.  See  tic  account  g'wen  of  Sacco' s  book  by  the  Jefuit  Grtt- 
fer  in  the  Bibliotheca  Patrum.  I  know  not  upon  what 
principle  Dr.  Motheim  maintains  that  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Tallies  of  Piedmont  are  to  be  carefully  diftinguiihed 
from  the  Waldenfes,  and  I  am  perfuaded  that  whoever 
will  be  at  the  pains  to  read  attentively  the  2d,  25th, 
26m,  and  27  th  chapters  of  the  nrit  book  of  Leger's  Hif- 
toire  des  Egiifes  Vaudoifes,  will  find  this  distinction  en- 
tirely groundlefs. — When  the.  Papifts  aik  us  where  our 
Ln  was  before  Luther,  we  generally  anfwer,  in  the 
Bible,  and  we  anfwer  well.  But  to  gratify  their  tafte  for 
tradition,  and  human  authority,  we  may  add  to  this  an- 
fwer— and  in  the  vallies  of  Piedmont. 

To  the  above  we  may  add,  one  of  the  Popifti  writers, 
fpeaking  of  the  Waldenfes,  fays,  "  The  herefy  of  the  Wal- 
d./ifes  is  the  old  eft  herefy  in  the  world"* 

It  is  here  worthy  to  be  particularly  noticed. 

1.     That  Reinerus  Sacco  fpeaks  of  the  Waldenfes,  or 

Baptifts,  of  his  day,  as  a  feci  that  had,  at  tfcat  time,  flou- 

riihed  for  about  five  hundred  years  ;    which  brings  the 

hiftory  of  the  Baptifts,  as  a  religious  feet,  down  to   the 

fifth  century. 

2.    That 

*  PrefdaU  Edwards'*  H'fi.  of  Redemption,  p.  267. 


OF  THE  BAPTISTS.  13I 

2.  That  tills  fame  Reinerus  Sacco  mentions  authors 
of  note,  who  make  the  antiquity  of  the  Waldenfean  Bap- 
tifts  to  remount  to  the  apoftolic  age. 

3.  That  the  Baptifts  are  the  moft  ancient  of  all  the 
religious  fects,  who  have  fet  themfslves  to  oppofe  the 
ghoftly  powers  of  the  Romanifts. 

4.  That,  if  there  be  any  body  of  Chriftians,  who 
haveexifted  during  the  reign  of  antichrift,  or  of  the  man 
of  fin,  the  Baptifts  have  been  this  living  church  of  Jefas 
Chrift. 

5.  The  confequence  of  the  whole  is  this  :  The  Bap- 
tifts have  no  origin  fhort  of  the  Apoftles.  They  arofe 
in  the  days  of  John  the  Baptift,  and  increafed  largely  in 
the  days  cf  our  ble&ed  Saviour,  when  he  mowed  himfelf 
untc  Ifrael,  and  in  the  days  of  his  Apoftles,  and  have 
exified,  under  the  fevered  oppreflions,  with  intervals 
of  profperity,  evqx  fmce. 

Bat  as  to  the  Pasdobaptifts,  their  origin  is  at  once 
traced  to  about  the  middle  of  the  fecond  century  ;  when 
the  myftery  of  iniquity  not  only  began  to  work,  but,  by 
its  fermentation,  had  produced  this  error  of  fruitful  evils, 
namely,  that  baptifm  was  eftential  to  falvation  ;  yes, 
that  it  was  regeneration.  Hence  arofe  the  neceffity  of 
baptiz:  :g  children.  Now  comes  forward  Irenceus,  and 
informs  that  the  church  had  a  tradition  from  the  Apoftles 
to  give  baptifm  to  infants.  We  are  told  in  the  Appen- 
dix to  Mofheirn's  Church  Hiftory,  that  one  of  the  remark- 
able things  which  took  place  in  the  fecond  century  was 
the  baptizing  of  infants,  it  being  never  known  before,  as 
a  Chriftian  ordinance  for  them. 

What  a  pity  it  is,  that  good  men,  who  have  renounced 
the  error,  which  was,  as  church  hiftory  informs  us,  the 
progenitor  of  infant  baptifm,  fnould  ftill  retain  its  prac- 
tical 


132  A  MINIATURE  HISTORY 

tical  and  erroneous  offspring,  to  the  prejudice  and  mar- 
ring of  tlie  church  of  God  !  Not  a  fingle  feet  of  the  Pce- 
dobaptifts  can  find  its  origin  nearer  to  the  Apoftles  than 
the  fecond  century.  We  hence  conclude,  that  their  ori- 
gin was  there,  and  that  they  then  and  there  arofe  in  the 
myftery  which  was  then  working.  May  the  Father  of 
lights  open  the  eyes  of  my  brethren,  that  they  may- 
come  out  of  this,  perhaps,  the  laft  thicket  of  grofs  error 
and  darknefs. 

I  will  now  add — 

V.  The  teftimony  which  Prefident  Edwards  bears  in 
favour  of  the  Waldenfes  and  other  faithful  ones,  who 
were  fcattered  through  all  parts  of  Europe  in  the  dark 
ages  of  Popery.     It  is  the  following. 

"  In  every  age  of  this  dark  time,  there  appeared  par- 
ticular perfons  in  all  parts  of  Chriftendom,  who  bore  a 
teftimony  againft  the  corruptions  and  tyranny  of  the 
church  of  Rome.  There  is  no  one  age  of  antichrift,  even 
in  the  darkeft  time  of  all,  but  ecclefiaftical  hiftorians 
mention  a  great  many  by  name,  who  manifefted  an  ab- 
horrence of  the  Pope  and  his  idolatrous  worfhip,  and 
plead  for  the  ancient  purity  of  doctrine  and  worfhip. 
God  was  pleafed  to  maintain  an  uninterrupted  fucceffion 
of  witnefTes,  through  the  whole  time,  in  Germany,  France, 
Britain,  and  other  countries,  as  hiftorians  demonftrate, 
and  mention  them  by  name,  and  give  an  account  of  the 
teftimony  which  they  held.  Many  of  them  were  private 
perfons,  and  many  of  them  minifters,  and  fome  magis- 
trates and  perfons  of  great  distinction.  And  there  were 
numbers  in  every  age,  who  were  perfecuted  and  put  to 
death  for  this  teftimony. 

"Befides  thefe  particular  perfons,  difperfed  here  and 
there,  there  was  a  certain  people,  called  the  Waldenfes, 

vrhg 


OF  THE  BAPTISTS,  133 

who  lived  feparate  from  all  the  reft  of  the  world,  who 
iept  themfelves  pure,  and  conftantly  bore  a  teftimony 
againft  the  church  of  Rome,  through  all  this  dark  time. 
The  place  where  they  dwelt  was  the  Vaudois,  or  the 
five  vallies  of  Piedmont,  a  very  mountainous  country* 
between  Italy  and  France.  The  place  where  they  lived 
was  compared  with  thofe  exceeding  high  mountains, 
called  the  Alps,  which  were  almoft  impaiTable.  The 
paflage  over  thefe  mountainous,  defert  countries,  was  fo 
difficult,  that  the  vallies  where  this  people  dwelt  were  al- 
moft inacceffible.  There  this  people  lived  for  many  ages, 
as  it  were  alone,  where,  in  a  ftate  of  feparation  from  all 
the  world,  having  very  little  to  do  with  any  other 
people  ;  they  ferved  God  in  the  ancient  purity  of  his 
worfhip,  and  never  fubmitted  to  the  church  of  Rome. 
This  place,  in  this  defert,  mountainous  ccuntry,  probably 
was  the  place,  efpecially  meant  in  the  xii.  chap,  of  Reve- 
lations, 6  verfe,  as  the  place  prepared  of  God  for  the 
woman,  that  they  fliould  feed  her  there  during  the  reign 
of  Antichrift. 

"Some  of  the  Popifh  writers  themfelves  own  that  that 
people  never  fubmitted  to  the  church  of  Rome.  One  of 
the  Popifh  writers,  fpeaking  of  the  Waldenfes,  fays,  the 
herefy  of  the  Waldeafes  is  the  oldeft  herefy  in  the  world. 
It  is  fuppofed,  that  this  people  firft  betook  themfelves  to 
this  defert,  fecret  place  among  the  mountains  to  hide 
themfelves  from  the  feverity  of  the  heathen  perfections 
which  were  before  Conftantine  the  Great,  and  thus  the 
woman  fled  into  the  wildernefs  from  the  face  of  the  fer- 
pent,  Rev,  xii.  6  ;  and  fo  verfe  54.,  And  to  the  woman 
were  given  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle,  that  fhe  might  fly 
into  the  wildernefs  into  her  place,  where  fhe  is  nourifhed 
£«r  a  urns  and  times  and  half  a  time  from  the  face  of 
M  the 


134  A  MINATURB  HISTORY 

the  ferpent.  And  the  people  being  fettled  there,  their 
pofterity  continued  there  from  age  to  age  afterwards,  and 
being  as  it  were  by  natural  walls,  as  well  as  by  God's 
grace,  feparated  from  the  reft  of  the  world,  never  par- 
took  of  the  overflowing  corruption." 

It  is  hoped  that  the  reader  will  very  carefully  and 
candidly  compare  what  is  teftified  to  us  by  three  very 
learned  men,  Dr.  Moiheim,  Dr.  Machine,  and  Prefident 
Edwards,  The  teftimony  of  the  firft  k,  that  the  Wal- 
denfes  and  many  others  who  are  u/ual/y  confidered  cs  ivit- 
nsjfes  of  the  truth  in  the  times  of  unhierfal  darknefs  and/«- 
perftitioriy  were  efTentially  agreed  with  the  Baptifts  of 
modern  date,  as  to  principle  and  ptatlice,  or  as  to  the  great 
maxim,  whence  flow  all  the  peculiarities  of  that  denomi- 
nation. His  teftimony,  in  ftiort,  is  this  ;  the  Huffites, 
the  Wickliffites,  the  Petrobrufians,  and  the  WalJenfes, 
•with  other  witneffes  of  the  truth,  fcattered  over  Europe? 
in  the  dark  ages  of  Popery,  were  efientially  the  fame 
with  the  Baptifts  of  later  times ;  or  that  they  all  were 
what  we  call  Baptifts. 

Dr.  Maclaine  teftifies  that  the  Waldenfes  flourifhed 
as  early  as  the  fifth  century  ;  yes,  he  informs  us  that 
fome  authors  of  note  carry  their  antiquity  up  to  the  apof- 
tolic  age. 

Prefident  Edwards  informs  us  that  thefe  Waldenfes 
were  the  main  body  of  the  church,  in  the  dark  ages,  and 
have  been,  together  with  their  fcattered  brethren,  the 
pure  church  of  Jefus  Chrift,  during  the  reign  of  Anti- 
chrift,  and,  of  certain  confequence,  were  fucceffors  of 
the  pure  church,  from  the  days  of  Chrift  and  his  apoftles. 

The  fair  confequence  of  all  is  this,  that  the  Baptifts 
have  been  the  uninterrupted  church  of  our  Lord  from, 
the  apoftles*  day  to  ours. 


OF  THE  BAPTISTS*  t$$ 

I  may,  indeed,  exclaim,  What  have  1  been  believing, 
what  have  I  been  doing,  with  refped  to  the  Baptifts,  all 
my  day-  ! 

I  know,  and  I  confefs,  that  the  hiftory  of  the  church 
aflures  me,  that  the  denomination  of  Chriftians  to  which 
I  have  belonged,  and  to  which  I  do  ftill  vifibly  belong, 
came  through  the  church  01  Rome,  and  was  broken  on? 
from  the  mother  of  harlots,  and  it  is  not  greatly  to  be 
wondered  at,  if  all  her  filth  fhould  not  be  yet  wiped  away. 
At  the  fame  time,  the  fame  hiftory  allures  me,  that  the 
Baptifts  never  have  fubmitted  to  her  fuperftitions  and 
filthy  abominations. 

I  am  fomewhat  furprifed  at  my  own  long  continued 
ignorance,  and  at  the  yet  remaining  darknefs  of  my 
brethren,  as  to  this  matter.  But  above  all,  what  fhall  I 
fay  at  the  hard  oppofition  which  fome  good  men  yet 
maintain  againft  their  brethren,  the  Baptifts  ?  Surely, 
thsy  might  with  great  propriety  be  addreffed  in  the: 
words  of  Gamaliel ;  "  Take  heed  to  yourfelves  what  ye 
intend  to  do,  as  touching  thefe  men."  If  ye  will  not  fa- 
vour them,  "  refrain  from  them,  and  let  them  alone  ;  for, 
if  their  counfel  or  their  work  be  of  men,  it  will  come  to 
nought;  but  if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it; 
left  haply  ye  he  found  even  to  fight  againft  God." 

All  the  power,  craft  and  cruelty  of  the  wicked,  though 
praclifed  for  nighly  one  thoufand  eight  hundred  years, 
have  not  been  able  to  prevail  againft  them.  Surely  the 
mifguided  zeal  of  good  men  will  not. 

In  this  ftiort  Hiftoryof  the  Baptifts,  wefee  the  continued 
accomplifhmer.t  of  one  of  Chrift's  promiiTcry  predictions, 
which  is,  Matt.  xvi.  i3.  The  gates  of  hell  fhall  not  pre- 
vail againft  the  church.  That  denomination  of  Chrif- 
tiar.s  which  are  called  Baptifts,  are  the  only  known  focie- 


136  A  MINIATURE  HISTORY 

ty  of  profeffing  Chrtflians,  againfl  which  Satan  hath  not 
prevailed,  either  in  point  of  doctrine,  or  difc4*pline,or  both. 
This  church,  or  old  and  inveterate  herefy,  as  Satan  would 
call  it,  he  acknowledges,  by  the  mouth  of  his  fervants* 
*.he  Romanifts,  that  he  could  never  fubdue.  It  is  true, 
Satan  hath  joined  many  of  his  legions  to  it,  as  he  did 
many  falfe  brethren  to  the  difciples  in  the  days  of  the 
Apoftles.  But  he  hath  never,  no,  not  for  an  hour,  pre- 
vailed upon  this  ancient  and  primitive  church  to  give  up 
the  doctrines  of  grace,  or  the  adminiftrations  of  the  or- 
dinances as  Chrift  delivered  them  to  his  people.  That 
which  (he  firft  received,  fhe  {till  holds  faft,  and  will.  In 
all  the  hi  (lory  of  the  church,  we  read  of  no  other  body  of 
profeiTing  Chriftians,  after  which  Satan  hath  cad  fuch  a 
continual  flood  of  waters ;  but  hitherto  the  earth  hath 
helped  the  woman,  and  the  flood  of  perfecution  hath  not 
prevailed.  Satan's  future  efforts  will  be  equally  with- 
out effect. 

My  Fathers  and  Brethren  in  the  miniftry,  and  my 
brethren  among  the  profefTed  difciples  of  the  Lordjefus 
Chrift,  fuffer.  a  word  of  exhortation. 

If  you  will  not  take  up  the  crofs,  and  fo  increafe  the 
number  of  Chrift's  continually  preferred,  yet  always  fuf- 
fer ing,  little  flock,  be  ye  careful  how  ye  fet  yourfelves  in 
array  againfl  them.  For  more  are  they  who  are  for 
them,  than  are  thofe  who  are  againfl:  them.  With  you 
is  an  arm  of  flcfli,  in  all  your  oppofitions,  but  with  them 
is  the  Lord  their  God  to  help  them,  and  he  will  help 
them  ;  and  by  and  by  he  will  help  them  right  early. 

I  fhall  be  very  pleafmgly  difappointed,  fhould  I  not 
be,  by  many  of  you  who  are  rulers  in  Ifrael,  fet  at  nought, 
for  coming  over  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  againfl  the 

mighty. 


OF  THE  BAPTISTS.  1 37 

mighty.  But,  If  I  may  but  know  the  truth,  and  pleafe 
the  Lord,  it  is,  with  me,  but  a  comparatively  fmall  thing 
to  be  judged  of  you,  or  of  man's  judgment.  I  do,  in- 
deed, wifh  for  the  continuance  of  your  good  opinion  and 
friendfliip,  but  I  cannot  pofTefs  them  at  the  expenfe  of 
truth.  That  I  might  teftify  unto  you  thefe  things,  I 
have  riiked  every  thing  which  the  world  calls  valuable. 
I  am  now  determined,  and  through  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jefus  Chrift  I  hope  that  to  the  end  of  my  life  I 
fhall  be  determined,  to  venture  every  thing  in  defence  of 
the  doflrines  and  ordinances  and  church  of  the  Son  of 
God.  I  befeech  all  of  you,  who  know  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jefus,  that  ye  do  not  as  did  many  of  the  chief  rul- 
ers in  Ifrael.  They  believed  on  Chrift,  but  did  not  con- 
fefs  him,  becaufe  of  the  Pharifees,  left  they  fhould  be  put 
out  of  the  fynagogue  ;  for  they  loved  the  praife  of  men, 
more  than  the  praife  of  God.     John  xii.  42,  43. 

You  have  now  heard  me,  and  now  know  what  I  do. 
You  will  therefore  now  make  up  your  judgment.  But, 
I  pray  you,  remember  one  thing  :  With  what  judgment 
ye  judge,  ye  fhall  be  judged. 

/  am, 

Reader ; 

Thy  Servant, 

For  the  Go/pel* s  Sale, 

DANIEL  MERRILL. 


Page  £,  over  the  text,  for  "  Matthew  xviii.**  read,  *{ Mat- 

xxviii." P.  10,  4th  line   froni  the  bottom,   for 

"  kivanmi"  read,  **  kn&crum." P.  u,   3d    line    from 

the  top,  for  "BapttjTu^  read,  "  Bapii/ie~s" P.  17,  14th 

>m  r--'^  bottom,  for  " tpanipfato" read,  " apenipfato" 

Ibid,  orh  line   from  the  bottom,  for  "  baptizontai," 

read,  "haptisonitai"- P.  18,  4th  line  from  the  top,  for 

u  eptphnan"  read,  "  apeplunan." Ibid.  1  6th  line  from 

the  top,  for  *  nlpfaio,"  read,  "  enipfato.,y Ibid.  8th  line 

from  the  bottom,  for  "  nipto"  read,   "«/£/<?."—. — Ibid. 
6th  line  from  the  bottom,  for  "  Ithumenas,"  read,  "  olclcu- 

mensi" P.  2c,  8th  line  from  the  top,  for  "  errantifmz- 

to;,"  read,  * errantifmenoi.**    This  word,  and  "  raniizoufa. 
errcntifsy  rantifmcu,  and  rantifmon"  in  the  fame  page,  to  be 

fpelt  without  the  h. Ibid.  4th  line  from  the  bottom. 

tor  M  em}a>nn;i:ijni,>  read,  w  hebamn;nort." 


EXAMINATION 


OF  THE 


Account  lately  Publifked  by  Mr.  E.  Smith. 

in  two  Pamphlet s^  r effecting 


Original  Sin... .the  Death  Adam  was  to  die  the 
day  he  eat  the  forbidden  fruit. ...and  the  fin:J 
end  of  the  wicked  after  the  refurreetien  day. 


In  an  Efiflle  to  the  f aid  E.  Smith. 
By  SAMUEL  SHEPARD. 


He  that  Is  Srft  in    his  own  eaufe,  feetneth  juJd  ;  but  hit  aeighbou? 

cometh  and  fearcheth  him.-..io:.oMONr. 
To  the  law  and  to  the  teftimonv  :  If  they  fijgak  not  nccordiflg 

word,  it  is  becaufe  there  is  no  light  in  tSm [saiah. 


EXETER  : 

Printed  by  Ranlet  &  Norris,  for  the  Subfcribers..  an3.S#Ii 

at  the  Exeter  Book-Store,*.-..,,  1 80S. 


TO 


Mr.  ELIAS  SMITH. 


SIR, 


T, 


HE  following  Epiftle  that  I  have 
wrote  refpeciing  your  thoughts  and  opinion 
concerning  Original  Sin,  the  fall  of  Adam,  and 
the  final  end  of  the  wicked,  comes  from  an  old 
friend,  wifhing  you  a  part  in  the  refurrectioii 
of  life  with  my  own  foul.  I  have  endeavour- 
ed to  avoid  mentioning  any  thing  reflecting 
yourfelf,  which  hath  taken  place  for  fourteen 
years  paft,  that  might  degrade  your  perfonal 
character,  as  though  I  had  never  heard  of  you, 
excepting  what  appears  in  your  publications, 
that  I  find  neceffary  to  throw  light  concerning 
what  is  truth,  Refpeciing  the  truth,  I  have 
ufed  the  liberty  that  you  have,  that  is,  freely 
to  communicate  my  opinion  without  fear  or 
favor  to  any,  as  it  appears  to  me,  giving  my 
reafons  for  you  and  others  to  judge  for 
yourfelves. 

I  am  often  hurt  in  my  feelings  when  I  read 
controverfial  writings  y  to  fee  how  much  thruf- 
ting  there  appears  with  fide  and  fhoulder,  and 
puming  with  horns,  as  the  prophet  exprefleth 
it,  Ezek.  xxxiv.  21.  Sometimes  writers  will 
pun  one  on  the  other,  refpecting  their  weaknefs 
or  ignorance,  &c.     Such  things  tend  only  to 


(  4  ; 

huittLemfelves,toharm  the  difeafcd,  anclicatter 
the  flock,  inftead  of  feeding  the  iheepand  lambs, 
as  it  appears  to  me, 

It  is  no  pleafmg  talk  to  me  to  addrefs  you 
on  the  fubjects  contained  in  your  two  pamph- 
lets ;  neither  am  I  furred  up  by  any  man  ex- 
cepting yourfelf.  But  a  fenfe  of  duty  to  my 
Lord  and  mafter  jefus  Chrift,  and  to  my  breth- 
ren, who  once  fee  much  by  you,  and  perhaps, 
fome  of  them  too  much  ;  to  whom  I  expect 
feveral  things  you  have  publifiied  are  now  be- 
come a  Humbling  block  ;  and  my  duty  to  you., 
who  has  been  heretofore  in  fellowihip  with 
me  and  my  connections,  bind  me  to  it. 

I  am  tenable,  dear  fir,  you  have  as  good 
a  right  to  publifh  your  opinion  refpecting 
the  meaning  of  the  fcriptures,  as  any  other 
man,  and  ought  not  to  be  perfecuted,  ridicu- 
led, nor  treated  ill  in  your  perfon,becaufe  you. 
differ  from  ethers,  and  I  claim  the  fame  privi- 
lege. Whether  the  contraft  between  my  ideas 
and  yours  will  offer  you  any  light,  or  whether 
you  will  pity  me  as  ignorant  of  the  meaning 
of  the  fcriptures  refpecting  the  matter,  and  fo 
overlook  it,  permitting  others  to  judge  for 
themfelves,  without  any  of  your  remarks  up^ 
on  it  ;  or  whether  you  will  fee  fit  to  cenfure 
me,  I  muft  leave  for  time  to  manifeft.  I  ex- 
pect the  day  is  at  hand  when  I  fhall  be  entirely 
difinterefted  refpecting  the  cenfure  or  applaufe 
of  you,  or  other  mortals.  But  when  I  am 
fleeping  in  the  duft,  if  the  infpired  truths  I 
have  endeavoured  to  communicate  and  defend, 
fliould  help  the  mind  andeftablifh  the  faith  of 


C5) 

one  of  Chrift's  little  ones,  let  the  glory  be  giv- 
en to  the  great  fountain  of  all  grace.  I  pray 
that  the  fame  divine  companion  of  God.  who 
forgave  job  and  his  friends  in  their  difpute, 
may  forgive  you  and  me,  wherein  we  have 
not  fpoken  the  things  that  are  right. 

Sir,  you  venture  in  your  pamphlet,  which 
you  name  the  Doctrine  of  the  Prince  of  Peace., 
&e.  page  6,  to  call  "  original  fin  a  confufed 
inafs,"  and  are  fo  bold  as  to  fay,  "  no  perfon 
on  earth  ever  knew  the  meaning  of  j"  which  is 
faying  more  than  you  know,  or  have  proved^ 
-or  can  prove,  as  I  humbly  conceive.  You  fur- 
ther fay,  "  it  was  invented  by  St.  Auguftine  in 
the  fifth  century  ;"  which  faying,  every  under- 
standing psrfon  that  reads  the  holy  hiftory  of 
the  bible,knows  your  hiftorical  account  of  it  is 
not  true:  for  every  man  that  has  the  knowledge 
of  the  meaning  of  the  word  ariginal^  knows 
it  means  the  firft,  the  origin,  the  fource  and 
beginning  of  any  thing  that  exifts.  Therefore,, 
the  plain  meaning  of  original  iin,  is  the  firft  fin 
that  ever  took  place  among  rational  and  intel- 
ligent exiftences.  The  firft  iin,  which  is  the  o- 
riginal  iin,  took  place,  according  to  the  bible 
account,  among  the  angels  who  kept  not  their 
firft  eftate,  but  left  their  own  habitation,  &c» 
Jude,  verfe  6.  Our  Lord  Jefus  fays,  John  viii. 
**  the  devil  was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning, 
and  abode  not  in  the  truth/'  Which  manifefts 
he  had  an  abode  in  the  truth  once  with  Ga- 
briel and  other  angels,  but  from  the  beginning 
of  this  world's  creation  he  was  a  tranfgrefibr 
before  our  firft  parents  finned*    And  the  holy 

A2 


(6) 

ghoft  has  informed  us  by  the  infpired  apoftls 
in  1  Tim.  iii.  6,  That  a  bifhop  fiiould  not  be 
a  novice,  leaft  being  lifted  up  with  pride  he  fall 
into  the  condemnation  of  the  devil.  This  in- 
forms us,  that  pride  was  the  fin  the  devil  was 
guilty  of,  for  which  he  received  his  condemna- 
tion. Hence  it  is  evident,  that  the  fin  of  pride 
was  the  firft,  or  original  fin,  among  the  fallen 
angels.  Upon  what  occafion,  or  how  it  took 
place,  divine  wifdom  has  not  feen  fit  to  reveal 
particularly.  But  how  this  fin  took  place  in 
our  firft  parents,  wt  have  a  more  particular 
account.  The  enemy  our  Lord  Jefus  mentions 
in  Matt. xiii.  that  fowed  tares  among  the  wheat, 
viz.  the  old  ferpent,  who  is  called  the  wicked 
one,  being  the  original  finner  ever  heard  of. 
We  have  account  in  Gen.  iii.  how  he  fowed 
this  fin  of  pride  in  the  heart  of  our.  mother  Eve 
by  means  of  a  lie — verfe  4,  "  And  the  ferpent 
laid  unto  the  woman,  ye  fihall  not  furely  die  :" 
verfe  5,  CJ  For  God  doth  know  in  the  day  ye 
eat  thereof,  then  your  eyes  mall  be  opened,  and 
ye  fhali  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil," 
As  foon  as  the  ferpent  did  fuggeft  the  motive 
of  being  as  gods,  and  having  their  knowledge 
increafed  as  gods,  then  the  ferpent  fowed  the 
feed  of  pride  in  her  heart ;  and  the  no  foone-r 
entertained  the  thought,  but  immediately 
thereby  a  defire  took  place  in  her,  to  be  wifer 
than  God  had  created  her.  "And  when  the 
woman  faw  that  the  tree  was  good  fcr  food, 
and  that  it  was  pleafant  to  the  eyes,  and  a  tree 
to  be  defired  to  make  one  wife,"  &c.  When 
did  it  look  after  this  manner  ?  when  did  this 


(7) 

defire  take  place  ?  we  have  no  account  it  ever 
looked  thus  tempting,  before  fhe  was  told 
they  fhould  not  furely  die,  but  be  as  gods. 
This  fin  or  feed  of  pride  working  in  her 
a  defire  of  being  exalted,  and  being  wife  as 
gods,  fprung  up  in  her  heart,  and  fo  wrought 
upon  her,  that  fhe  believed  the  lie  the  devil 
told  her,  and  difbelieved  the  word  of  her  God, 
fo  as  to  venture,  and  ihe  took  of  the  fruit 
thereof,  &c 

Thus  the  firft  and  original  fin  took  place 
in  our  world,  as  I  underftand  the  bible  account 
of  it.  Thus  the  devil  murdered  our  firft  moth- 
er, Eve,  by  tempting  her  to  fin,  whereby  ihe 
loft  the  favor  and  complacency  of  her  God  fhe 
enjoyed  before,  which  was  the  life  of  her  foul, 
for  the  favor  of  God  is  life.  This  is  evident 
from  John  viii.  44,  He,  viz.  the  devil,  was  a 
murderer  from  the  beginning  of  Eve's  tempta- 
tion, when  he  fowed  this  feed  of  pride  or  fin 
in  her  heart  of  being  as  gods,  and  told  her  a 
lie.  This  our  Lord  refers  to  when  he  fays, 
when  he,  viz.  the  devil  fpeaketh  a  lie,  he  fpeak- 
eth  of  his  own,  for  he  is  a  liar,  and  the  father 
of  it.  Thus  it  is  evident  how  the  fin  of  pride 
took  place  in  the  heart  of  the  mother  of  all  liv- 
ing, and  that  the  devil  was  the  author  of  it,  and 
not  God. 

This  fin  of  pride  I  conceive  to  be  the  {eed 
of  the  ferpent,  which  is  the  origin  of  the  enmi- 
ty between  the  devil's  feed  and  the  woman's 
feed.  This  pride  is  infeparably  joined  among 
the  offspring  of  our  firft  parents,  with  the  dis- 
belief of  God's  word  and  true  chara&er  as  it 


(8  ) 

was  with  our  mother  Eve,  often  called  unbe- 
lief. This  fin  of  pride,  the  feed  of  the  ferpent, 
the  original  and  firft  fin,  is  fome  how  derived 
from,  or  takes  place  by  means  of  our  firft  par- 
ents, whether  we  can  particularly  inveftigate 
it  or  not,  the  holy  ghoft  teftifies  it  to  be  a  fact, 
without  any  parley  in  Rom.  v.  12,  "  Where- 
fore, as  by  one  man  fin  entered  into  the  worlds 
and  death  by  fin  ;  and  fo  death  paffed  upon  all 
men,  (why  ?)  for  that  all  have  finned.' '  We 
muft  believe  facts  exprefsly  teftified  if  we  can- 
not particularly  account  for  them. 

I  will  quote  fome  facts  refpecting  how 
pride,  the  firft  original  fin,  has  fhewed  itfelf, 
from  the  time  the  two  firft  vifible  worfhippers 
after  the  fail,  viz.  Cain  and  Abel  offered  their 
offerings  to  the  Lord  until  the  apoftolic  age. 

Cain  perceiving  his  brother  was  more 
righteous  than  himfelf,  and  God  accepted  and 
prefered  his  offering  and  not  Cain's,  his  pride 
excited  to  envy,  and  ftimulated  him  to  murder 
his  own  brother,  (why  r)  becaufe  he  was  righ- 
teous. O  ftrans;e !  Here  is  man  if  eft  the  effects 
of  original  fin,  the  pride  and  enmity  of  Cain's 
heart  lufting  to  murder,  like  his  father,  the 
devil,  as  Chrift  told  the  Jews. 

A  fecond  proof  we  find  in  the  family  of  Ja- 
cob, Gen.  xxxvii.  4,  And  when  his  brethren  faw 
that  their  father  loved  him,  viz.  Jofeph,  more 
than  all  his  brethren,  (viz.  that  he  had  by  Leah 
and  his  concubines)  they  hated  him.  And 
when  he  came  to  tell  his  dream  of  the  fheaves 
making  obeifimce  to  his  fheafe,  they  faid  to 
him,  flialt  thou  indeed  reign  over  us,  &c,  &c> 


(9  ) 

and  they  hated  him  yet  the  more  for  his 
dreams,  &c.  Here  it  is  evident  their  pride 
was  kindled,  and  ftimulated  them  to  flay  their 
brother,  left  he  mould  have  dominion  over 
them.     This  is  another  proof  of  original  fin. 

The  third  proof,  inftead  of  an  hundred 
more  I  could  quote  from  the  fcriptures  of 
truth,  is  the  conduct  of  the  Jews  to  our  Lord 
Jefus.  He  being  born  of  a  poor  virgin,  bro't 
up  in  Nazareth  without  a  grammatical  educa- 
tion,or  being  learnt  to  read,  connected  with  a 
poor  family,  and  to  their  proud  views  appear- 
ed according  to  prcphefy,  like  a  root  out  of 
a  dry  ground.  Notwithstanding  he  fpake  the 
truth  as  no  other  man  ever  did,  and  performed 
fuch  miraculous,  mighty  works  as  no  other 
man  ever  did,  to  prove  his  divine  million  as 
the  true  Chrift,  the  real  Meffiah  and  Son  of 
God  ;  and  thefe  things  done  in  open  day -light, 
and  often  before  large  afTemblies,  that  their 
eyes  and  ears  were  witneffes  of  the  miraculous 
facts,  fo  that  every  inimical  mouth  was  juftly 
flopped.  Never thelefs,  fuch  was  their  pride, 
they  would  turn  their  thoughts  from  all  the 
evidence  given,  and  think  where  he  was  bro' t 
up,  and  with  whom  he  was  connected,  faying, 
"  Is  not  his  mother  called  Mary,  and  his  breth- 
ren James  and  Jofes  ?"  &c.  "  and  they  were 
offended  at  him,"  Markvi.  for  what  ?  becaufe 
it  croifed  their  pride,  the  original  fin.  They 
could  not  bear  the  thought  of  this  Son  of  Ma- 
ry being  the  Chrift,  the  king  of  the  Jews, 
whom  God  had  fet  in  the  hill  of  Zion.  Such 
was  their  pride,  it  feems  to  me,  that  they  chofe 


(    io  ) 

to  ri&  the  damnation  of  hell,  rather  than  own 
fuch  a  poor  defpifed  man  for  their  Saviour. 
This  made  them  feek  to  ftone  him,  and  kill 
him  fundry  times  before  his  hour  was  come. 
Read  the  fifth  chap,  of  John5and  it  will  mani- 
le£t  the  very  ideas  I  have  been  defcribing. 

This  pride  or  original  fin,  is  the  viiible 
caufe  of  unbelief  in  the  Jews,  as  well  as  all 
others,  if  I  underftand  what  Chrift  fays,  John 
v.  44,  "  How  can  ye  believe,  which  receive 
honor  one  of  another,  and  feek  not  the  honor 
that  cometh  from  God  only  f"  This  is  the  vif- 
ible  reafon  in  every  age  to  this  day,  as  far  as  I 
am  able  to  difcern,  why  the  rich,  the  great 
and  the  honourable  difregard  Chrrft's  mighty 
works  of  grace  in  the  conviction  and  conver- 
iion  of  iinners,  when  publicans  and  harlots  be- 
lieve the  gofpel,  repent  and  turn  to  the  Lord. 
It  looks  too  low  for  the  great  ones  of  die  earth, 
in  general,"  to  become  fuch  fools,  neither  can 
they  while  they  receive  honor  one  of  another. 

This  pride  I  conceive  is  the  reafon,  by  all 
that  "I  can  learn,  why  many,  when  ftruck  un- 
der conviction  for  nigh  forty  years  pail,  with 
whom  I  have  had  acquaintance,  they  would  try 
to  hide  it  and  fhake  it  off,  and  hold  down  their 
heads,  and  cover  their  faces  for  fear  fome  bo- 
dy mould  fee  them  drop  tears  under  the  preach- 
ing of  God's  truth,  as  though  it  was  a  fhame 
for  themtomanifeft  a  concern  about  their  latter 
end.  Such  is  the  lofty  proud  difpofition  of  the 
poor  fallen  family  of  Adam  by  nature,  accord- 
ing to  the  bell  light  I  can  attain  by  reading  the 
icriptures,  and  the  obfervations  T  have  made 


( It ) 

by  converting  with  many  of  all  characters,  both 
under  their  convictions  and  after  they  appear- 
ed to  be  made  free  through  the  knowledge  and 
belief  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jems. 

Pride  is  the  origin  of  evil  in  man,  and  is 
always  united  with  unbelief,  difpofing  the 
heart  to  query,  fome  how  fimilar  to  the  lan- 
guage of  the  ferpent,  Gen.  iii.  i,  "Yea,  hath 
God  faid,  ye  ihall  not  eat  of  every  tree  of  the 
garden  ?"  Why  did  God  fay  fo  ?  Why  did  he 
limit  things  thus  and  fo  ?  Why  has  he  done 
as  he  has  ?  he  conducts  like  an  auftere  man, 
Luke  xix.  21,  that  is,  a  harOi,  cruel  man.  This 
is  the  language  of  pride  in  every  human  heart, 
that  wants  their  will  and  way  as  God. 

Now,  if  there  is  in  this  world  a  chriftian 
man  or  woman,  perfectly  clear  of  pride,  I  will 
acknowledge  he  or  fhe  has  no  original  fin, 
when  they-  can  prove  it  by  their  works  when 
put  to  the  trial.  I  will  inflance  a  trial 
fomewhat  in  imitation  of  one  recorded  in 
Matt.  xxi.  and  in  St.  Mark  and  St.  Luke's  gof- 
pels,  of  one  who  never  had  any  fin,  original 
or  actual. 

Suppofe  you,  or  any  bifhop  or  min- 
ifter,  or  any  chriftian  of  character,  was  fent  for 
on  an  important  occafion,  to  vifit  fome  chrif- 
tian brother  in  prifon,  in  the  centre  of  fome 
great  city  in  New-England,  where  you  were 
known.  It  happened  you  were  lame,  fo  that 
you  could  not  walk,  and  the  matter  was  ur- 
gent, and  you  could  not  procure  any  beaft  to 
ride  but  an  afs  colt,  neither  could  you  get  a 
faddle  or  bridle,  but  was  obliged  to  put  on  fome 


( 12 ) 

fort  of  garments  to  ride  on,  with  a  line  rope 
or  fome  fort  of  an  halter  faftened  round  his 
"under  jaw.  In  this  manner  you  were  obliged 
to  ride,  with  your  legs  and  feet  hanging  down 
on  each  fide  of  fuch  a  low  animal  almoft  to  the 
ground.  Thus  you  muft  ride  through  the 
main  ftreet  of  the  city  to  the  centre.  As  foon 
as  you  entered  the  city,  all  the  people  were 
moved  at  your  ftrange,  diminutive  appearance, 
faying,  who  is  this  ?  Matt.  xxi.  i  o.  Now,  fir, 
if  you  or  any  other  man  making  fuch  an  ap- 
pearance, could  ride  through  the  multitude, 
and  feel  no  pride  working,  no  moving  of  blood 
in  your  cheek,  no  blufhing  nor  difturbance  in 
your  countenance,  but  could  proceed  in  your 
duty,  calm  and  undifturbed  as  though  you  had 
a  decent  horfe  beail,  faddle  and  bridle,  I  would 
acknowledge  you  had  got  releafed  on  fuch  an 
occafion,  from  pride  or  original  fin.  But  fhew 
me  the  man  if  you  can,  excepting  him  who 
came  meek  and  lowly,  bringing  falvation,  rid- 
ing upon  an  afs,  &c.  viz.  Jefus  of  Nazareth  ; 
and  if  you  cannot,  there  is  fome  forbidden 
thing  in  the  heart,  viz.  pride,  the  original  and 
iirft  fin  ever  heard  of.  For  I  am  fully  perfua- 
ded  if  cur  nril  parents  and  their  offspring  had 
never  known  the  fin  of  pride,  they  would  have 
never  known  fliame,  or  that  they  were  naked, 
for  when  pride  cometh,  then  cometh  fliame, 
Prov.  xi.  2,  and  not  before. 

Pleafe,  fir,  to  lay  your  left  hand  againft 
your  heart,  and  lift  your  right  hand  up  toward 
heaven,  and  afk  your  confeience  in  the  pref- 
ence  of  God,  whether  you  could  perform  the 


(  13  ) 

duty  in  manner  before  defcribed,  and  feel  no 
fhame  or  working  of  pride  ;  and  if  there  is  an 
internal  witnefs  in  your  confidence,  that  you 
ihould  feel  aihamed,  and  could  not  help  the 
working  of  pride,  which  is  a  main  ingredient 
of  what  St.  Paul  calls  the  body  of  fin  and  death, 
Rom.  vii.  I  adtife  you  never  to  take  up  your 
pen  again  in  order  to  publiih  fuck  an  unferip- 
tural  opinion,  refpecting  the  firfi,  or  original 
fin,  as  you  have  in  your  pamphlet  firft  referred 
to.  The  ciufe  of  all  the  contentions  and  quar- 
rels among  the  wicked,  which  have  ended  in 
murder,  bloodfhed,  perfecutions,  wars,  &c. 
cometh  from  this  firft,  that  is,  original  fin, 
called  price,  from  the  time  that  Cain  flew  A- 
bei  to  this  day.  If  we  believe  the  teftimony  of 
the  holy  ghoft,  in  Prov. .  xiii.  10,  Only  by 
pride  cometh  contention.  Only,  that  is,  this 
and  no  other,  viz.  pride,  is  the  caufe  of  ail 
contention  among  ttie  wicked.  Let  your  con- 
fcience  judge  if  this  was  invented  in  the  fifth 
centurv  bv  Auguf&ne. 

Thus  it  appears  to  me,  that  what  you  call 
■a  confufed  mafs,  is  an  important  bible  truth, 
teftiiied  by  the  holy  ghoft,  and  what  you  fay 
was  invented  in  the  fifth  ceatury  after  Chrift, 
viz.  the  firft  or  original  fin,  the  holy  fcrip- 
tures  teftify  it  took  place  before  Adam  fell, 
and  our  firft  parents  were  defiled  with  it,  and 
all  their  offspring  that  ever  was  or  ever  will 
be  born  after  the  ilefh,  or  I  cannot  fee  the  need 
of  being  born  again  of  the  fpirit,  in  order  to 
ice  the   kingdom  of  God,   which  confifts  & 

B 


(   14  ) 

vighteoufnefs,  and  peace,  and  joy   in  the  holy 
ghpft, 

I  conceive  no  other  way  to  understand 
what  the  apoflle  teftifies  in  Rqituv.  12,  where- 
fore, as  by  one  man, fin  entered  into  the  world, 
and  death  by  fin  ;  and  fo  death  paffed  opon  all 
men,  (why  ?)  for  that  alL  have  iinfted.  Sin 
entered  by  Adam,  and  death  entered  by  iin. 
This  is  the  reafon  given  by  the  infpired  apoftle 
why  death  paffeth  upon  ail.  Let  you  or  oth-  ' 
crs  try  to  cant  or  evade  this  exprefs  reafon 
given  by  infpirafion,  it  ilands  hrm  as  any  part ' 
of  the  word  of  God,  and  a  jot  or  tittle  of  it 
cannot  pafs  away,  nor  -the  true  fenfe  of  it  be 
changed  by  all  the  private  interpretations  the 
human  mind  can  frame. 

I  would  further  obfcrve,  the  apofrle  in  this 
fifth  chapter  enters  upon  a  companion  between 
Adam  and  Chrift,  and  calls  Adam  a  figure  of 
him  thas  was  to  come,  viz.  Jefus  Chrift.  As 
Adam  was  the  root  of  fin  and  death  to  all  his 
natural  feed,  fo  Chrift  is  the  root  of  holinefs 
and  life  to  all  his  fpiritual  feed,and  the  infpired 
apoftle  teftifies,  in  verfe  19,  For  as  by  one 
man's  difobedience,  many  were  made  finners  : 
So  by  the  obedience  of  one,  (viz.  Jefus  Chrift) 
fhall  many  be  made  righteous.  Thus  it  is  tes- 
tified by  the  holy  ghoit ,  and  thus  it  Hands  as 
plainly  expreffed  on  the  one  part  as  on  the 
other.  It  looks  to  me  very  daring  for 
any  mortal  to  try  to  evade  the  plain  fenfe,  and 
pervert  the  meaning  of  it,  fo  as  to  make  it  ap- 
pear a  confufed  mafs  that  no  body  knows  the 
meaning  of.     Likewife,  Rom.  iii.   That  Jews 


(  i5  ) 

and  Gentiles  are  all  under  fin,  there  is  none 
righteous,  no  not  one  :  there  is  none  that  un- 
derdandeth,  there  is  none  that  feeketh  after 
God.  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way,  kc.kc, 
For  all  have  fmned  and  come  fhort  of  the  glory 
of  God.  If  any  mould  try  to  change  the  fenfe 
of  thefe  exprefs  declarations  refpecting  the  fal- 
len ftate  of  the  human  family  of  Adam,  and 
fay  it  has  reference  to  men's  practice,  and  not 
to  their  natural  Hate  and  temper,  or  difpolition, 
tl^e  apoflle  has  fully  cleared  up  the  matter  in 
Eph.  ii.  where,  fpeaking  of  the  death  of  tref- 
paffes  and  fins  they  were  under,  and  their  wick- 
ed practices,  as  children  of  difobedience — in 
verfe  3  he  adds,  and  were  by  nature 'the  chil- 
dren of  wrath,  even  as  others.  This  is  the 
teftimony  of  the  holy  ghoft  refpecting  the  con- 
dition we  are  in  by  nature  and  practice.  If  it 
is  not  fo,  where  fhall  we  feek  to  know  v/hat  is 
truth  refpecting  this  important  matter  ?  Shall 
we  disregard  the  teftimony  of  the  holy  fcrip- 
tures  refpecting  it,  and  pin  our  faith  upon  a 
few  fragments  of  human  hiftory,  that  you 
have  collected,  fanctioned  with  your  faying  fo. 
inftead  of  being  ratified  with  fcriptural  proof  f 
Let  your  own  confeienceand  every  reader  judge. 
I  am  fully  perfuaded,  when  any  perfon  is  per- 
fectly clear  of  pride,  he,  or  me,  will  be  freed 
from  the  firfl  or  original  fin,  and  not  before. 
For  when  St.  Paul,in  the  third  of  Romans,  was 
proving  the  original  depravity  of  Jews,  as  well 
as  Gentiles,  being  all  under  fin,  he  refers  to 
lia.  lix.  where  it  is  written,  among  other  ex- 
prefiions  of  the  evil  men  are  guilty  of.  "  Their 


;  ?« ) 

thoughts  are  thoughts  of  iniquity ,"  &c.  I  con- 
ceive there  never  was  a  man  that  entertained  a 
proud  thought,  or  was  guilty  of  a  proud  look, 
which  is  the  firft  and  original  of  fix  things,  the 
Lord  lutes,  Prov.  vL  But  what  is  defiled  with 
the  firft  fin  that  ever  was   heard   of,  which  is 
the  original  fin.     Sir,  if  you  can  prove  that  you 
never  kad   a   proud  thought,   nor  never  was 
guilty  of  a  proud  look,  but  from   the  womb 
was  clothed  perfectly  with  humility  as  a  gar- 
ment, inftead  of  being  naked  and  polluted,  and 
that  you  are  not  alone,  for  it  is  not  natural  for 
the  family  of  Adam  to  be  proud;  I  will  publicly 
acknowledge  my  miliake,  and  that  my  mind 
has  been  confufed  fifty-fire  years  refpecting  the- 
meaning  of  original,    or  the  firft  fin.     But,  I, 
humbly  conceive,  it  is  impofiibie  to  prove  it  to? 
any  fenfible,  truly  enlightened  man,  that  is  ac-. 
quainted  with  the  holy  fcriptures,  or  with  his, 
own  heart,  or  with  mankind. 

I  have  feen  fome  verfes  refpecting  the  fall 
of  Adam  and  his  offspring,  which  I  cannot  ex- 
actly remember  ;  but  I  think  the  fenfe  of  them 
is  as  folio  wet  h,  which  if  you  can  contradict 
according  to  the  holy  fcriptures,  you  will  af- 
ford light. 

As  Adam  was  the  common  head  of  all, 

His  fens  are  all  partakers  of  his  fall — 

The  fountain  of  our  nature  was  in  him.     See  Rom.  V.  tl 

And  fo  his  fall  extends  to  every  limb. 

Without  tranfgrefHon  none  can  juftly  die  ; 

Hence  babes  partake  as  well  as  you  and  I.     See  Ro'.n.  vi.  2$. 

The  leaf!  of  men  is  man,  and  fo  contains 

The  feed  of  for  row,  ncknefs,  death  and  pains. 

A  Gngle  drop  divided  from  the  reft, 

Of  the  felt  ocean,  hath  a  brackifh  tifte  ; 

And  if  ten  million  drops  from  it  fbould  run, 


(  17  ) 

The  uature  of  the  whole  would  he  in  one/ 

Our  flock  was  g;  ilty  of  a  great  offence, 

The  branches  then  can  have  no  juft  pretence 

To  clear  themfeive*.  from  blame,  till  they  can  &ew 

They  areno par:;  of  fhat  on  which  they  grew.  1  Cor.  ir.i  1 ,:  % 

According  to  your  opinion  of  origin- 
al, or- the  firft  fin,  in  order  to  inake  out  what 
you  intended  to  prove  in  the  fequei,  neceffity 
required  you  to  mention  but  two  deaths,  as 
though  the  fcriptures  mentioned  no  more, 
when  it  is  as  evedent  the  fcriptures  mention 
three  deaths  more,  beiide  what  you  faw  fit  to 
name,  as  the  two  you  take  notice  of.  Why 
did  you  not  mention  them,  and  inform  us  what 
relation  they  ftood  in,  each  one  to  the  other, 
and  favoured  us  wich  the  light  of  the  whole, 
if  you  were  not  aware  they  ftood  in  your  way 
and  would  emharrafs  your  defign  ?  The  Apof- 
tle  fays,  Eph.  ii.  i, "  And  you  hath  he  quick- 
ened, who  were  dead  in  trefpaffes  and  fins," 
verfe  5,  "  Even  when  we  were  dead  in  fins, 
hath  quickened  us  together  with  Chrift,  by 
grace  ye  are  faved."  This  death,  it  is  eviderU: 
to  demonftraticn,  Adam  died,  a  death  of  trel- 
pafs  and  fin,  the  day  he  trefpafTed  and  eat  the 
fortidien  fruit  ;  which  was  the  cauic  of  hii> 
hiding  among  the  trees,  when  lias  heavenly  Fa- 
ther called  after  him,  Gen.  in.  10,  ">And  he 
faid,  (viz.  Adam)  I  heard  thy  voice  in  th«  gar- 
den, and  I  was  afraid,  becaufe  I  was  naked  ; 
and  I  hid  myfelf.  And  God  faid,  who  told 
thee  that  thou  waft  naked?  haft  thou  eaten  of 
the  tree,  whereof  I  commanded  thee  that  tfeoti 
fhouldeftnot  eat  i"  This  is  the  day  Adam  died 
a  death cf  trefpafs and  fin 5  according  tc  the  tru  I  k 


(  is  ) 

of  God's  word,  and  I  conceive  you  were  cod- 
icious  chrifiians  would  wonder  you  could  dare 
to  pais  it  over,  and  fay  it  was  a  natural  death, 
or  the  body  being  turned  to  the  duft,  Adam 
was  to  die  the  day  he  eat  thereof ;  when  he 
lived  a  natural  life  after  he  finned,  about 
359450  days,  or  930  years.  Here,  it  appears, 
was  a  great  bar  in  your  way.  It  would  not 
do  to  reprefent  God  not  as  good  as  his  word 
on  the  one  part,  and  to  acknowledge  he  died 
the  day  he  finned,  to  the  union,  love  and  fa- 
vour of  his  God,  which  was  the  happinefs  and 
life  of  his  foul  on  the  other  part,  and  fo  become 
guilty  as  a  {inner  afraid  to  appear  before  his  God 
being  naked,  and  ftripped  of  his  fmlefs  and  in- 
recent  robes  To  acknowledge  this  truths 
would  ccmtradicl  the  plan  you  had  in  view. 
To  cfcape  this  difficulty,  you  have  quoted  a 
text  refering  to  a  matter  not  fimilar,  but  very 
diilierent  from  Adam's  circumftances  in  inno- 
cence, which  he  never  heard  of  that  we  knovr^ 
2  Pet.  iii.  8,  the  apoule  refering  to  the 
/doners  mentioned  in  verfe  5,  who  in  the  laft 
day  would  fay,  "  all  things  continue  as  they 
were  from  the  beginning;  of  the  creation. n  The 
apoftle,  to  enlighten  his  brethren  wherein  the 
error  confifted,  compares  time  with  eternity, 
faying,  "  Be  not  ignorant  of  this  one  things 
that  one  day  is  with  the  Lord  as  a  thoufand 
years,  and  a  thoufand  years  as  one  day.'5  That 
is,  I  conceive,  as  though  he  fhould  fay,  God  is 
:n  eternity,  exiftence,  not  meafured  in  his  pro- 
ceedings by  days  or  years,  according  to  the 
conception  of  rational  time  beings )  for  a  day 


C  *90 

era  thoufand  years  is  much  alike  to  him,whofe 
being  is  from  eternity  to  eternity.  St.  Peter: 
would  not  have  them  be  ignorant  of  this  left 
the  infidel  fcoffers  might  lead  them  aflray.  To 
what  purpofe  can  this  text  be  to  help  you  to 
extufe  God's  delay  for  not  fending  Adam  to 
the  duft  again  the  day  he  finned  ?  God  did  not 
tell  Adam  he  mould  return  to  the  duft  the  day 
he  finned,  or  eateft  thereof.  From  the  1 6th 
verfe  to  part  of  the  19th  verfe  of  the  3d  chap, 
of  Genefis,  God  is  fpeaking  to  them  as  already 
dead  in  fin,  and  is  declaring  to  them,  what 
ihould  be  the  confequence  and  effects  of  it  in 
this  world,  until  it  ended  in  natural  death* 
Accordingly, in  verfe  19,  God  fpeaks  of  Adam's 
return  unto  the  ground,  for  out  of  it  waft  thou 
taken  ;  for  duft  thou  art,  and  unto  duft  fhalt 
thou  return.  This  pronounces  natural  death 
upon  Adam,  not  before.  Take  notice,  God  did 
not  fay  how  long  it  would  be  before  his  body 
Ihould  return  to  the  duft  ;  neither  did  Adam 
know  the  day  of  his  death,  I  conceive,  any 
more  than  Ifaac  did  afterward.  It  appears  ev- 
ident, Adam  was  as  ignorant  of  St.  Peter's 
comparifon  of  a  day  and  a  1000  years,  as  his 
brethren  were  before  he  informed  them  about 
it.  .For  we  have  no  account  Adam  ever  heard 
of  fuch  a  comparifon,  or  knew  any  divifion  or. 
part  of  time  by  the  name  of  day,  but  what  was 
called  evening  &  morning,  diftinguifhed  by  God 
in  the  work  of  creation,  Hence.it  is  evident, 
your  quotations  of  a  icoo  years  being  as  one 
day  with  God,  is  no  proof  to  your  purpofe, 
excepting  a  found  about  fomething.  to  fill  up 


C  2°  ) 

a  gap  in  time  of  neceflity,  for  want  of  fome- 
thing  better,  as  it  appears  to  me. 

I  humbly  conceive  you  have  not  publifhed 
t  true  fcriptural  account  of  the  matter,  but  are 
as  much  miftaken  refpecting  the  death  Adam 
was  to  die  the  day  he  eat  the  forbidden  fruit, 
as  you  axe  in  faying  original  fin,  that  is,  the 
hrft  fin,  was  invented  in  the  fifth  century  by 
Auguftine. 

Refpecting  your  ideas  of  the  final  end  and 
deftruclion  of  the  wicked,  foul  and  body,  after 
the  day  of  judgment,  1  would  obfere, 

Whereas  you  have  been  fo  critical  in  re- 
proving authors  for  uiing  words  and  terms  of 
ipeech,  that  are  not  mentioned  in  the  bible  ; 
you  were  mindful,  I  conceive,  that  the  words 
nonexiftence  and  annihilation,  were  never  m  en « 
tioned  in  the  bible,  and  you  having  a  neceflity 
to  prove  what  is  explicitly  ment  by  raid  words 
in  our  language,  in  order  to  prove  your  tenets, 
you  have  been  ftraightened  to  fhevp  your  mea- 
ning of  certain  texts  of  fcripture,  without  uiing 
iuch  words  as  are  commonly  ufed,  and  plainly 
expreffes  what  you  wanted  to  make  out  in  eng- 
liin  words.  But  whereas  they  are  not  to  be 
found  in  thefcriptures.you  have  omitted  them, 
I. conceive,  that  you  may  feem  to  have  fome 
fort  of  turn  for  it  in  cafe  you  mould  be  accufed 
of  crofiing  your  felf  in  uiingunfcriptural  words, 
while  you  reprove  others  for  10  doing. 

It  appears  to  me  you  have  tried  to  exprefs 
yourfelf  in  every  poilible  way  to  make  out  what 
you  wanted  to  prove,  viz.  that  the  wicked  will 
perifh  a^d  be  confumed,  and  that  iaicl  words. 


>,  »  ) 

with  a  number  more  texts  you  have  quoted? 
do  mean  that  tl\e  wicked  will  net  exift  after  the 
day  of  judgment,  or  have  an  exiflence,  but 
have  a  final  end,  and  ceafe  to  be,  kc.  fee  page 
21,  25,  26,  31,  2d  book,  without  ufmg  the 
words  nonexistence  or  annihilation,  as  they 
areunfcripiural  words-  To  complete  the  whole, 
in  page  34,  2d  book,  you  fay,  "  The  end  of 
the  wicked  is  death,  which  cannot  mean  exis- 
tence in  any  fenfe  whatever."  What  different 
fenfe  do  fuch  exprefiions  cofrvey  from  being 
lent  into  nonexiilence  ?  They  differ  no  more 
in  fenfe  than  yea  and  yes. 

But  whereas  the  fcriptures  do  not  fay  that 
men  or  devils  {hail  have  a  final  end,  or  ceafe 
to  be,  although  you  dare,  to  affert  it  as  your  be- 
lief. There  are  no  fuch  words  in  the  bible 
vefpec~cing  the  wicked,  either  men  or  devils  ; 
and  you  could  not  poifibly  add  your  meaning 
to  the  words  perifh,  confume,  &c.  without  u- 
fing  unfcriptural  words,  although  you  fome- 
times  inftead  of  afferting,  would  fhift  it  by  way 
of  queflion.  It  was  impoiiible  for  you  to  tell 
your  meaning  without  ufing  words  that  the 
holy  ghoft  never  ufed  to  explain  this  impor- 
tant matter.  For  the  words  exift,  exiflence, 
ceafe  to  be,  final  end,  be  no  more,  are  not  men- 
tioned in  the  bible,  refpecting  devils  or  wicked 
men  after  the  day  of  judgment,  any  more  than, 
the  other  words,  nonexistence  or  annihilation, 
which  you  have  endeavoured  to  fhun.  The- 
reafon  why  no  fuch  words  are  made  ufe  of  by 
the  infpired  witneffes  reflecting  the  wicked,  is 
becaufe.  it  is  not  tr.ue.      If  thefe  words  were. 


(   t*   ) 

added  by  the  holy  ghoft,  that  you  add  to  fhew 
the  meaning  of  the  words  perifh,  confume, 
with  other  figurative  expreillons  you  make  ufe 
oi\  I  humbly  conceive  it  would  puzzle  the  holy 
angels  to  reconcile  it  with  many  cxpreis  decla- 
rations of  Chrift  and  his  infpired  witneffes  res- 
pecting the  punifhment  and  inieparable  mifery 
and  torment  of  wicked  men  and  devils  for  ev- 
er and  ever.  Therefore,  the  infpired  witneiies 
have  not  mentioned  any  fuch  words  as  you 
have  been  obliged  to  mention  to  prove  your 
private  interpretations  of  the  fcriptural  expref- 
fions  reflecting  the  matter.  It  appears  evident 
to  me,  that  every  man  who  can  read  and  un- 
derftand  that  three  times  four  (figurative  texts 
of  fcripture)  make  twelve  in  number,  muft 
know  by  reading  your  books,  that  the  fever al 
words  you  have  made  ufe  of  to  prove  your  c- 
pinion,  means  the  fame  thing  that  the  word 
nonexiftence  means  ;  and  they  are  not  men- 
tioned in  the  fcriptures  any  more  than  the 
word  nonexiftence ;  therefore,  for  brevity 
fake, I  iliall  ufe  the  word  nonexiftence, as  I  have 
occaiion,  to  communicate  what'  is  truth  ref- 
pecling the  con tr aft  between  our  opinions,  con- 
cerning the  matter  in  difpute ;  and  I  would 
have  you  and  every  reader  underiland  me  when 
I  ufe  the  word  nonexiftence,  to  mean  the  fame 
as  the  words,  ceafe  to  be,  before  mentioned. 

With  the  bundle  of  unfcriptural  words 
you  make  ufe  of, which  are  all  included  in  your 
defcription  of  death,  in  page  34,  2d  book,  you 
fay,  "  The  end  of  the  wicked  is  death,  which 
cannot  mean  exiftencc  in  any  fenfe  whatever. " 


Therefore,  according  to  your  opinion,  it  muft 
mean  nonexiftence.  To  try  to  fhift  or  evade 
fo  plain  a  fact,  would  expofe  yourfelf,  and  im- 
pofe  upon  your  rerders  ;  for  if  you  allow  they 
are  not  confumed  into  nonexiftence,  or  do 
not  ceafe  to  be,  the  difpute  is  ended. 

If  it  can  be  made  to  appear  that  their 
worm  you  mention  in  page  58,  by  a  fair  con> 
parifon  of  fcripture  texts,  refers  to  the  exis- 
tence of  foul  and  body  after  the  relu:  section, 
that  it  will  never  die,  although  Caft  into  the 
lake  that  burns  with  fire  and  brimftone,  where 
the  fire  never  will  be  quenched, ....2d.  If  it  can 
be  likwife,  made  to  appear  that  the  torments 
fpoken  of  in  Rev.  xiv.  means  what  mall  take 

place  after  the  day  of  judgment 3d.  If  it  can 

be  made  to  appear  that  the  fire,  fpoken  of  in 
Rev.  xx.  9,  that  devoured  gog  and  niagog,  and 
the  mifery  and  anguifh  of  the  devil  that  de- 
ceived them,  fpoken  of  in  verfe  io?  with  which 
he  mall  be  tormented  for  ever  and  ever,  al- 
though mentioned  before  the  account  of  the 
judgment  fetting,  and  books  being  opened,  the 
fire  nor  torments  did  not  take  place  upon  gog 
and  magog,  nor  the  devil  until  they  were  judg- 
ed out  of  the  books,  and   then  it  took  place 

upon  them 4th.  If  it  can  be  made  to  appear 

that  the  everlafting  punimment  our  Lord  Je- 
fus  pronounced  upon  the  nations  of  the  earth, 
Separated  on  his  left  hand,  Matt.  xxv.  46, 
does  mean  the  inflicting  of  mifery  upon  them, 
even  the  torments  of  everlafting  fire  originally 
prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels,  this  will 
-  e  to  demonftration,  you  are  rniftaken  in 


your  opinion  of  the  meaning  of  your  many 
texts  and  metaphorical  fentences  of  fcripture, 
that  you  have  quoted  to  prove  the  nonexiftence 
of  the  wicked  after  the  day  of  judgment. 

I  would  obferve,  the  furnace  you  mention 
in  page  37,  Matt.  xiii.  42,  where  there  fhall  be 
wailing  and  gnafhing  of  teeth.  The  hell  men- 
tioned in  Mark  ix.  where  their  worm  dieth 
not,  and  the  lire  never  mail  be  quenched,  and 
the  lake  of  fire  and  brimftone,  where  the  devil 
fhall  be  tormented  day  and  night  for  ever  and 
ever,  means  about  the  fame  in  efTence,  is  evi- 
dent to  a  demonftration5by  a  fair  comparing  of 
icripture  texts. 

Your  comparifons  and  reafonings  in  page 
36,  37  and  38,  appear  to  me  fo  far  from  mak- 
ing any  proof  to  your  purpofe,  it  feems  ftrange 
to  me  that  a  man  of  your  fagacity,  who  have 
manifefted  in  fome  of  your  publications  fuch 
a  difpoiition  to  help  fuch  as  you  thought  were 
in  the  fmoke  out  of  it,  fhould  yourfelf  fall  in- 
to the  dark  refpecting  the  ideas  contained  in 
the  feveral  texts  mentioned.  To  what  pur- 
pofe is  it  to  any  firmer  if  hell  means  nonexif- 
tence, or  to  ceafe  to  be,  when  he  is  caft  into 
fuch  a  hell,  whether  he  has  two  eyes,  hands  or 
feet,  or  one  or  none  ?  I  can  form  no  idea  of 
eyes,  hands  or  feet,  foul  or  body,  or  any  thing 
elfe,  in  any  hell  after  it  ceafes  to  be.  More  es- 
pecially I  would  obferve,  fomething  refpecling 
the  ftrange  fort  of  a  worm  mentioned  in  Mark 
ix.  which  our  Lord  Jefus  fays  dieth  not,  al- 
though dwelling  in  hell  fire,  which  never  fliail 
he  quenched.   You  fuppofc  it  means  "  a  worm 


C  25  ) 

6t  fuch  kind  or  ibrt  as  breed  in  dead  carcafe;, 
even  fuch  as  eat  the  flefh  of  King  Herod,"  if  1 
underftand  you.  For  you  further  fay,  "  thefe 
fort  of  worms  eat  the  body  and  then  die  them- 
felves."  How  is  it  poffibie,  dear  fir,  if  you  re- 
tain your  fenfes,  that  you  can  think  their  worm 
fpoken  of  by  our  Lord  Jefus,  can  be  fuch  a 
fort  of  a  worm  a#  can  poffibly  die  ?  when  Chrifl 
fays,  their  worm,  viz.  that  he  difcribes  dieth 
not,  although  cad;  into  hell  fire,  that  never  mail 
be  quenched.  Dear  fir,  if  you  were  on  my  fide 
of  the  controverfy  refpecting  this  remarkable 
worm  that  dieth  not,  and  your  opponent  wras' 
to  fuppofe  or  guefs,  or  think  this,  that  or  feme 
thing  elfe  anywife  firnilar  to  what  you  have 
done,  I  mould  expect,  according  to  fome  of 
your  writings,  we  mould  have  it  compared  to 
fome  diminutive  thing  or  things.  But  I  for- 
bear fuch  things,  unlefs  I  forget  myfeif.  For 
I  view  fuch  things,  when  we  are  enquiring  kf- 
ter  truth  only,  expofeth  us  to  the  reader,  that 
we  are  not  fenfible  what  manner  of  fpirit  we 
are  of.  We  mould  do  well  refpecting  thefe 
things  to  remember  whatfoever  is  more  than 
yea,  yea,  nay,  nay,  cometh  of  evil.  I  pray  the 
Lord  to  give  us  a  proper  fenfe  of  it. 

You  fay,  page  38,  refpecting  this  remark- 
able worm  that  dieth  not,  "  there  is  no  proof 
of  its  meaning  eonfeience,  except  old  tradition  ; 
and  to  fuppofe  it  to  be  the  fpirit  of  God,  you 
think  is  not  right  thus  to  wreft  the  fcriptures." 
For  the  firft  we  have  your  fay  fo,  for  the  latter 
we  have  your  think  fo,  with  a  reafon  given, 

which  I  conceive,. deferves  fome  notiae,  viz.  be* 
c 


(26) 

eaufe  confcience  nor  the  fpirit  of  God  is  nm 
wherein  fcripture called  a  worm.  But  I  will  put 
you  in  remembrance  that  man  which  confifts 
of  a  foul  and  body,  is  repeatedly  called  a  worm, 
Job,  xxv.  how  much  lefs  man  that  is  a  worm, 
(likewife)  and  the  Son  of  man  which  is  a  worm 
alfo,  Ifa.  xli.  14,  Fear  not,  worm  Jacob,  and  ye 
men  of  Ifrael,  &c.  Thus  it  ia  evident  by  two 
or  three  fcriptural  witneffefs,  that  man  confut- 
ing of  foul  and  body  is  by  infpiration,  called  a 
worm — take  notice,  no  were  called  in  the  plu- 
ral worms,  which  breed  in  corruptable  bodies 
and  dead  car  cafes,  no.  Thus,  I  numbly  con- 
ceive, it  is  confiilant  with  every  text  in  the  bi- 
ble refering  to  the  punifhment  of  hell  fire  and 
the  refurre&ionof  damnation,  pronounced  up- 
on  the  wicked  at  the  day  of  judgment,  to  un- 
oerfland  their  worm  that  dieth  not,  to  mean 
the  exiftence  of  each  perfon,  foul  and  body  af- 
ter the  refurrection,  fuch  a  worm  dieth  not 
when  caft  into  hell,  into  the  fire  that  never  mall 
be  quenched,  Mark,  ix.  45.  This  is  evident 
to  a  demonftration  by  the  defcription  given  by 
our  Lord  Jefus  refpeding  this  fort  of  worm 
that  dieth  not  in  the  torments  of  hell  fire,  in 
Luke,  xvi.  There  Chrift  defcribes  the  rich  man, 
which  is  a  worm,  as  poiTefTed  with  eyes  and  a 
confcience,  and  could  fpeak  and  cry,  and  could 
remember  how  many  brethren  he  left  in  his 
Father 'shoufe,  and  could  reafon  and  reflecl  up- 
on his  forrowful  condition.  Hence  it  is  evi- 
dent the  foul  of  this  worm  was  not  mortal,  no. 
This  fort  of  worm  dieth  not,  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord  hath  teftified  it,  although  in  the  fire  of 


(    27    ) 

hell.  But  was  the  foul  of  this  worm  mortal, 
as  you  imagine,  and  the  fire  of  hell  material  fire, 
it  muft  have  been  burnt  up  and  deftroyed  into 
nonexiftence,  unlefs  upheld  by  a  continued  mi- 
racle. In  this  fcriptural  view  of  the  worm  that 
dieth  not  it  is  confiftent  with  bible  truth,  I  con- 
ceive, to  hold  that  the  guilt  of  conference  is  a 
great  part  of  the  torments  endured  by  their 
worm  that  dieth  not ;  and  the  power  of  reflec- 
tion upon  their  mifpent  day  of  vifitation  adds 
to  their  punifhment  forrow  and  torment, 
What  Son  of  man  which  is  a  worm  can  tell 
how  it  feels  to  lift  up  his  eyes  in  the  torments 
of  guilt  and  keen  defpair  in  hell  and  behold  a 
heaven  irrecoverably  loft  ?  This  is  agreeable 
to  what  our  Lord  Jefus  fays,  Matt.  xxv.  "  De- 
part ye  curled  into  everlaftmg  fire  prepared 
for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  This  hell  fire 
was  originally  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels  before  ever  this  world  or  meter ial  fire 
had  exiftence — mind  that,  or  you  may  get  in- 
fenfibly  bewildered.  This  I  underftand  is  what 
is  called  eternal  fire,viz.  the  fire  of  God's  wrath, 
Ezek.  xxi.  31,  "I  will  blow  againft  thee  in  the 
fire  of  my  wrath."  Chap.  xxii.  21,  "  Yea,  I 
will  gather  you,  and  blow  upon  you  in  the  fire 
of  my  wrath."  Not  fuch  material  fire  as  burnt 
up  Sodom,  although  God  in  his  wrath  fent 
that  material  fire  upon  Sodom  in  their  cor- 
ruptable  ftate  only  to  deftroy  their  natural 
lives.  Everlafling  fire  will  never  go  out  as 
long  as  God  lives,  for  our  God  is  a  confumin  g 
fire,  Heb.  xii.  29.  Neither  will  the  exiftence  of 
the  wicked  ever  ceafe  to  be  after  their  refurrec- 


(  *8  ) 

tion.  Their  worm  will  never  die,  nor  the  fire- 
of  God's  wrath  will  never  ceafe  to  burn  againft 
them  for  their  fins  and  works  of  iniquity.  This 
fire  of  hell  never  will  be  quenched.  Take  no- 
tice, if  their  worm  dieth  not,  furely  it  is  alive, 
and  has  got  two  hands,  two  feet  and  two  eyes 
belonging  to  it  when  caft  into  hell.  If  we  be- 
lieve Chrift's  account  rather  than  what  appears 
to  you,  excepting  they  mould  have  one  or 
more  cut  off  by  means  of  a  gangrene,  or  fome 
other  difficulty, according  to  your  opinion,  and 
fo  live  a  little  longer  that  they  might  repent 
and  efcape  hell.  Dear  fir,  it  feems  to  me  you. 
muft  be  convinced,  they  have  a  worm  that 
will  never  die  by  burning  in  hell  fire,  if  we  be- 
lieve him  who  is  faithful  and  true.  This  worm 
belongs  to  the  two  hands,  two  feet  and  two 
eyes,  which  go  into  hell.  Such  a  fort  of  a 
worm  cannot  be  of  the  kind  that  breed  in  dead 
car  cafes  in  my  judgment,  becaufe  you  may  as 
well  prove  that  a  man's  nofe  is  not  united  to 
his  face  between  his  two  eyes,  as  to  prove  their 
worm  fpoken  of,  Mark  ix.  is  not  infeperably. 
united  to  the  two  hands, two  feet  and  two  eyes, 
that  are  caft  into  hell ;  and  what  proves  it  to 
a  demonftration  is,  there  is  no  exiftence  dwell- 
ing in  flefh,  or  a  corporeal  body  that  has  two 
hands,  that  ever  was  called  a  worm,  but  man 
only.  Therefore  it  appears  to  me  there  can 
be  no  other  fcriptural  fenfe  in  which  we  can 
underftand  their  worm  fpoken  of,  but  what  I 
have  defcribed,  and  if  I  have  got  the  fcriptural 
fenfe  of  it,  the  whole  chain  of  your  reafonings 
muft  be  a  great  miftake,  if  there  was  no  other 


(  *9  ) 

texts  of  fcripture  to  prove  it.  For  our  Lord 
Jefus  teftifies,  their  worm  that  is  united  with 
eyes,  hands  and  feet,  fpoken  of,  dieth  not ;  and 
the  hell  fire  they  are  caft  into,  is  not  quenched, 
three  times  in  one  chapter,  Mark  -ix.  Which  is 
to  be  believed,  Jefus  Chrift's  threefold  tefti- 
mony,  or  your  fingle  opinion  ?  Let  your  own 
confeience  and  every  reader  judge. 

You  obferve  feveral  texts  of  fcripture  that 
are  brought  to  prove  that  the  wicked  will  ex- 
ift  after  they  are  raifed  from  the  dead  eternal- 
ly in  a  ftate  of  mifery,  and  it  appears  to  me 
they  are  fo  plain  and  fall  to  the  purpofe  you 
were  confeious  they  would  overthrow  and  def- 
troy  your  glad  tidings  to  the  damned  after  the 
day  of  judgment.  Such  as  Job  in  his  Abort  af- 
flictions was  tempted  to  long  it  had  been  his 
condition,  viz.  to  have  remained  as  an  hidden, 
untimely  birth,  I  had  not  been,  &c.  then  for- 
row  would  have  been  hid  from  his  eyes.  It 
feems  tc  /le,  Job  had  a  very  different  opinion 
from  yoti,  refpecling  nonexistence  to  fuch  as 
are  in  great  mifery  and  never  expect  to  be  re- 
lieved. However,  it  appears  you  are  fo  felf- 
fufficient  in  your  opinion, -that  you  have  fuch 
knowledge  of  the  doctrine,  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace  ;  that  if  a  number  of  texts  of  fcripture 
evidently  appear  to  contradict  your  ideas,  they 
mufc,  notwithstanding  that,  mean  as  you  would 
have  them,  or  elie  the  fcriptures  contradict 
themfelves,  what  proof  is  there  of  it  ?  Mr. 
Smith's  fay  fo  or  opinion.  In  order  to  get 
round  thefe  great  obltacles,  or  fome  how  climb 
over  them,  you  have  evaded  the  force  of  their 

C2 


(  3°  ) 

teitimony  as  far  as  poiiible,  if  you  caw  make 
people  believe  it,  viz.  all  fucli  texts  as  plainly 
contradict  your  opinion,  if  they  evidently  re- 
fer to  the  ftate  of  the  wicked  after  the  judg- 
ment, they  mull  not  mean  fo  ;  but  they  muft 
be  underftood  to  refer  to  fomething  either  on 
earth  or  in  hell  before  the  day  of  judgment. 
But  why  may  not  chriftians  of  common  capa- 
city, that  have  heard  but  little  about  the  beaft, 
pope  and  clergy,  until  your  writings  have  been 
fent  abroad  to  difpel  the  ignorance  of  the  pref- 
ent  generation  ?  why  may  they  not  underftand 
them  to  mean  as  they  fay  ?  when  feveral  of 
thofe  texts  fpeak  as  plain  as  language  can  ex- 
prefs  it.  The  only  reafon  I  can  find  is,  becaufe 
they  contradict  and  overthrow  your  opinion 
of  the  nonexiftence  of  men  and  devils  after  the 
judgment.  Thus  by  endeavouring  to  make 
men  texts  mean  fomething  before  the  day  of 
judgment,  you  have  tried  to  flip  through  and 
efcape  all  the  knotty  difficulties  in  your  way  to 
a  nicety,  if  I  underitand  you.  Yea,  you  have 
engaged  in  a  great  undertaking,  viz.  to  com- 
municate a  plan  to  free  all  the  numberlefs  mill- 
ions of  the  fearful  and  unbelieving,  and  the  a- 
bornmable,and  murderers, and  whoremongers, 
and  forcerers,  and  all  liars,  with  every  defcrip- 
tion  of  the  ungodly,  not  excepting  thofe  who 
have  committed  the  unpardonable  fin  ;  no 
matter  for  that,  your  plan  is  laid  to  free  them 
all  from  future  mifery  after  the- day  of  judg- 
ment, by  burning  thein  all  together  into  non- 
exiflence  like  chaff,  kc.  All  this  doth  not  con- 
tent you,  for  you  have  extended  your  fcheme 


(  p ') 

to  burn  up  the  devil  and  all  the  rebel  angeter 
if  I  under  (land  you,  and  free  them  from  fu- 
ture torments  after  the  day  of  judgment ;  and 
what  is  moft  aftonifhing,  you  pretend  to  prove 
your  plan  by  the  fame  bible  that  teftifies  the 
everlafting  punimment  of  the  wicked  in  the 
mifery  and  torments  of  hell  fire,  both  men  and 
devils.  To  remove  many  great  difficulties  in 
your  way,  you  have  tried'to  make  a  dnftinction 
(if  I  underftanh  you,)  viz.  what  is  fufFered  by 
the  wicked  on  earth  or  in  hell  before  the  day 
of  judgment,  is  torment  (that  is  mifery  or  pain) 
not  punimment.  But  after  the  day  of  judg- 
ment to  be  burnt  up  and  deftroyed,  like  tares 
or  chaff,  into  nonexiftence,  is  everlafting  pun- 
imment that  anfwers  for  all  at  once,  whether 
they  deferve  few  ftripes  or  many,  as  your  reaf- 
onings  appear  to  me.  To  be  burnt  into  non- 
exiftence at  one  and  the  fame  time  fome  how 
balances  for  all.  If  fuch  a  private  interpreta- 
tion of  the  teftimony  of  Chrift  and  his  apofiles 
refpecting  the  torment  of  hell  fire  is  not  includ- 
ed in  what  the  apoflle  defcribes  in  Heb.  xiii.  9, 
u  Be  not  carried  about  with  divers,  and  ftrange 
doctrines,  he.  I  confefs  I  do  not  know  what  to 
call  it.  To  punifh,  I  underftand,  is  to  chaftife 
or  afflict  with  penalties.  Punimment  is  a  chaf- 
tifement  inflicted  juftly  upon  a  perion  for  be- 
ing guilty  of  fome  crime  that  defcrves  it.  Tor- 
ment fignifies  mifery  or  pain.  What  can  you 
mean,  fir,  by  trying  to  make  a  ditimciion  of 
meaning  between  the  torments  of  hell  fire  be- 
fore the  day  of  judgment,  as  to  the  kind  of  it 
and  going,  or  being  caft  into  the  punifhmest 


(  3*  ) 

ef  everlafting  fire  after  the  day  of  judgment  ? 
I  cannot  perceive  any  difference  made  in  the 
fcriptures,  only  as  to  the  degree  and  circum- 
ftances  of  it.  You  may  defign  to  anfwer  fome 
favourite  purpofe  by  it,  but  it  will  not  alter  the- 
truth  of  the  matter  any  more  than  to  fplit  ahair 
into  two  parts  and  then  twift  them  round  and 
call  them  two  diftincl:  hairs  when  they  are  real- 
ly but  one.  When  a  man  {lands  in  his  tefti- 
mony  in  any  of  the  old  paths  of  bible  truth, 
he  will  never  need  to-  divide  and  fubdivide  and 
fplit  hairs,  to  maintain  his  ground :  plain  bi- 
ble truth  wants  no  fuch  help.  If  two  thieves 
fhould  be  tried  and  being  found  guilty,  the 
penalty  is  fixed  for  one  to  have  ten  ftripes,  and 
the  other  thirty  on  their  naked  bodies,  would 
it  be  proper  to  fay  the  one  was  to  be  torment- 
ed ten  ftripes,  the  other  thirty  ?  or  to  fay  they 
were  to  be  punifhed,  by  being  beaten  or  whip- 
ped, the  one  ten  ftripes,  and  the  other  thirty  ? 
let  the  candid  judge  whether  they  could  re- 
ceive fuch  punifhment  without  mifery  and  pain, 
which  is  called  torment.  Our  Lord  Jefus  fpeak- 
ing  of  cutting  in  funder  unfaithful  fervants, 
Luke  chap.xii.  informs  us  of  their  puniftiment 
having  a  portion  with  unbelievers  by  the  allu* 
iion  of  beating  with  ftripes,  faying  verfe  47, 
"  And  that  fervant  which  knew  his  Lord's  will, 
and  prepared  not  himfclf,  &c.-fhall  be  beaten 
with  many  ftripes.  But  he  that  knew  not, 
and  did  commit  things  worthy  of  ftripes,  mail 
be  beaten  with  few  ftripes."  This  comparifon 
is  agreeable  to  our  Lord's  account  of  the  dif- 
ference of  the  degree  of  punifhment  between 


(33  ) 

Sodom  and  Capernaum  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
If  the  everlafting  punifhment  of  the  wicked  af- 
ter the  day  of  judgment,  when  they  are.caft 
out  into  outer  darknefs,  is  nonexiitence  or  to 
ceafe  to  be  !  how  can  they  weep  and  gnalh  their 
teeth  if  they  do  not  exift?  and  why  fhould  they 
do  fo  if  their  miiery  did  not  caufe  them  fo  to 
do  ?  who  can  account  for  it  ?  I  can  form  no  i- 
dea  of  punifhment  in  a  ftate  of  nonexiftence, 
nor  that  it  can  be  viewed  any  more  punifhment 
after  a  man  ceafes  to  be  even  to  eternity,  nor 
can  he  be  feniible  of.  it  any  more  than  it  was  a 
punifhment  for  him  not  to  have  a  being  from 
eternity  until  he  was  brought  into  a  fenfibility 
of  exifting  and  having  a  being.  And  if  you 
can  prove  that  it  has  been  an  everlafting  pun- 
ifhment from  eternity  inflicted  upon  you  and 
myfelf  before  we  had  a  being,  and  an  individu- 
al exiftence  becaufe  we  had  none  until  we  were 
created  into  exiftence  by  the  fame  rule  ;  per- 
haps you  may  prove  that  the  foul  of  man  is 
mortal,  and  will  have  an  everlafting  punifhment 
after  he  is  burnt  up  and  ceafe  to  be.  To  prove 
fuch  new  doctrines  I  conceive  you  muft  pro- 
cure a  new  bible,  and  your  converts  muft  have 
either  more  than  five  fenfes,  or  a  larger  com- 
prehenfion  than  ever  I  was  favoured  with,  to 
underftand  the  depths  of  your  arguments,  and 
conceive  the  fcriptural  propriety  of  your  dis- 
tinctions. The  matter  in  reality  is,  that  it  is 
as  impofiible  to  prove  it  to  be  any  punifhment 
after  a  man  ceafes  to  have  a  being  to  eternity,, 
as  it  is  to  prove  it  is  a  punifhment  to  a  mas* 


(  34  ) 

now  in  being,  that  he  had  none  from  eternity 
until  he  exifted  in  time. 

I  would  further  obferve,  as  far  as  I  am  a 
judge  of  fcripture  evidence,  you  have  not  prov- 
ed your  doctrines,  nor  cleared  up  one  text  that 
you  faid  is  brought  to  prove  that  the  wicked 
will  exift  eternally  in  a  ftate  of  mifery.  I  there- 
fore proceed  to  fhew  you  wherein.  I  obferve 
you  quote  Rev.  xiv.  9,  10,  11,  which  fpeaks  of 
the  wrath  of  God  being  poured  out  without 
mixture  upon  fuch  as  worfhip  the  beaft,  &c. 
and  receive  his  mark,  &c.  and  the  fmoke  of 
their  torment  afcendeth  upfor  ever  andever,&c. 
and  they  have  no  reft  day  nor  night,  &c.  Rev. 
xx.  10,  and  the  devil  that  deceived  them  (viz. 
gog  and  magog)  was  caft  into  the  lake  of 
Ire,  &c.  &c.  and  fhall  be  tormented  day  and 
night  for  ever  and  ever.  You  fay  thefe  places 
have  reference  to  fomething  before  the  day  of 
judgment.  What  proof  have  you  given  for  it  ? 
you  fay,  or  elfe  they  are  a  contradiction  of  the 
reft  of  the  fcriptures,  that  is,  dear  fir,  in  your 
opinion.  I  fay  they  are  confiftent  with  the  reft  of 
the  fcriptures,  and  have  reference  to  fome  thing 
after  the  day  of  judgment,  in  my  opinion.  Was 
I  as  knowing  a  man  as  yourfelf,the  proof  would 
be  on  a  par,  my  fay  fo,  and  your  fay  fo  ;  but  as 
I  do  not  pretend  to  value  my  fay  fo  as  a  proof 
of  any  thing  respecting  the  matter,  I  will  pro- 
duce fcriptural  evidence  to  prove  my  opinion. 
We  have  it  teftified  in  Rev.  x.  6,  by  a  heavenly 
witnefs — "  He  fware  by  him  that  liveth  for  ev- 
zr  and  ever  that  there  mould  be  time  no  lon- 
ger," at  the  day  of  judgment  time  will  be  at 


C  35  7 

*n  end.  You  fay  thefe  texts  have  refer- 
ence to  the  deftruction  of  the  old  Roman  gov- 
ernment, pope  and  clergy,  or  to  them  in  hell  be- 
fore the  day  of  judgment,  if  I  underftand  you. 
Will  the  fmoke  of  their  torment  laft  for  ever 
and  ever  before  the  day  of  judgment  ?  will  time 
laft  and  the  man  of  fin  continue  for  ever  and 
ever,  and  the  pope  and  his  clergy  before  the  day 
of  judgment  ?  God  who  created  heaven  and 
earth  by  whom  the  angels  fwear,  will  live  no 
longer  than  forever  and  ever.  Will  the  devil's 
torments  be  forever  and  ever  before  the  judg- 
ment of  the  great  and  laft  day  ?  when  he  muft 
ftand  trial  with  gog  and  magog !  What  can  be 
faid  ?  is  God's  exiftence  forever  and  ever  with- 
out end  ?  you  will  fay,  furely  it  is.  Is  the  ex- 
iftence  of  the  worihippers  of  the  beaft  and  the 
devil's  torments  forever  and  ever  without  end. 
What  can  be  faid  ?  which  way  will  you  prove 
one  forever  and  ever  to  be  longer  than  the  oth- 
er ?  I  know  of  no  way  to  prove  it  unlefs  you 
borrow  fome  help  from  your  learned  univerfal 
neighbours  tint  you  have  been  writing  againft, 
and  that  would  try  you  whether  you  had  got 
clear  of  pride,  your  original  fin  ;  and  if  you 
ihould  feek  to  them  for  help  to  alter  the  tranf- 
lation,and  fay  the  original  Greek  may  be  tranf. 
latedthis  way,  that  or  fome  other,  you  have 
faid  fo  much  in  your  publications  againft  fuch 
cants  and  evafio-ns  of  the  learned,  it  would  not 
do  for  you  to  feek  fuch  a  refuge. 

We  are  come  to  an  important  turning 
point  refpefting  the  controverfy,  and  you  muft 
fairly  clear  it  up  and  prove  by  a  fair  compari- 


(  36  ) 

ion  of  fcriptures  as  they  are  tranftated  in  out 
bibles,  that  the  forever  and  ever  refpe&ing  the 
exiftence  and  the  torments  of  the  worfhippers 
of  the  beaft  and  of  the  devil  doth  not  mean  an 
ever  during  exiftence ;  but  the  other  forever 
and  ever  refpecting  the  exiftence  and  life  of 
him  that  created  heaven  and  earth,  by  whom 
the  angels  fware,  means  an  everduring  exiftence. 
If  you  cannot  clear  up  this  matter,  your  new 
doctrines  adorned  with  the  name  of  the"  Prince 
<$f  Peace"  is  gone  forever  and  ever. 

I  would  obferve,  dear  fir,  this  expreflion 
forever  and  ever  is  found,  if  I  miftake  not, 
twenty-two  times  in  the  new  teftament.  It  is 
ufed  eight  times  in  the  Epiftle  of  St.  Paul  and 
St.  Peter,  where  they  afcribe  glory,  honor, 
praife  and  dominion  to  God,  forever  and  ever. 
It  is  found  fourteen  times,  if  I  miftake  not,  in 
the  book  of  Revelations,  and  a  number  of  them 
is  ufed  to  mark  God's  eternity,  and  the  expref- 
fion  is  ufed  feveral  times  by  the  fame  writer,  in 
the  fame  book,  to  exprefs  the  duration  of  the 
mifery  or  punifhment  of  the  wicked  both  men 
and  devils.  The  fame  expreflion  is  ufed  the 
fame  number  of  times  in  the  Greek  teftament. 
Is  it  poflible  to  miftake  the  meaning  of  the  ex- 
preflion and  pretend  that  the  forever  and  ever 
in  Rev.  xiv.  Chap,  and  xx.  10,  with  fome  other 
paffages,  mean  a  finite  duration,  and  is  all  to 
take  place  upon  the  pope  and  unconverted  cler- 
gy and  the  devil  before  the  day  of  judgment  ? 
fuch  a  fhift  is  offering  violence  to  the  fcriptures, 
and  wrefting  of  them,  in  my  opinion,  much 
more  tha*i  to  think  the  convi&iYe  operation  of 


(  37  ) 

the  fpirit  might  be  called  their  worm,  in  Mark 
ix.  I  do  not  recollect  the  exprefiion  forever 
and  ever  is  io  much  as  once  ufed  by  the  infpir- 
ed  witneffes  to  point  out  any  thing  that  is  con- 
fined within  the  limits  of  time,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  St.  Matthew  to  the  end  of  Revelations ; 
and  I  really  think  there  is  no  way  confident 
with  bible  truth  to  evade,  twill:  or  turn  the 
jenuine  meaning  of  the  exprefiion  forever  and 
ever  ;  or  that  it  has  different  meanings  in  the 
new  teflament  refpecling  duration*  If  you 
have  fkill  enough  to  do  it,  you  muft  make  it 
appear,  if  not  your  meaning  of  twelve  differ- 
ent figurative  expreflions  of  fcripture  with  the 
addition  of  twelve  times  twelve  more,  will  not 
alter  the  difference  the  holy  ghoft  makes  be- 
tween time  and  eternity  as  it  is  made  known 
to  us  in  the  holy  fcriptures. 

I  would  make  fome  obfervations  upon 
your  reafonings  in  your  fecond  pamphlet  re- 
specting the    day  of  judgment. 

In  page  40,  as  it  appears  to  contain  the 
fubftance  of  all  your  arguments,  firft  and  lalt, 
and  communicates  all  you  want  to  prove  re- 
fpecling the  end  and  punifiiment  of  the  wick- 
ed— The  ground  work  of  all  your  reafonings 
depends  upon  the  certainty  of  the  fouls  as  well 
as  the  bodies  of  the  wicked  being  mortal,  tt 
that  is  not  a  facl,  the  whole  of  your  reafonings 
are  futile  and  imaginary.  I  find. the  fcriptures 
have  not  exprefcly  mentioned  a  word  that  th* 
foul,  mind  or  fpirit  of  a  man  is  mortal  or  im- 
mortal, no  more  the  righteous  than  the  wick- 
ed.    It  is  otherwifc  made  mamfeft  br  tk%  ni* 

% 


(  38  ) 

ture  of  its  exiftence,  and  by  what  "is  teftified  re- 
fpecting the  eternal  happiuefs  of  the  righteous 
and  the  eternal,  that  is,  the  everlafting  mifery 
and  punilhment  of  the  wicked.     This  is  the 
way  by  which  the  immortality  of  the  fouls  both 
of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  are  teftified 
and  made  known  to  us,  that  dwell  in  mortal 
bodies.     You  hold  that  there  fhall  be  a  refur- 
rection  of  the  bodies  of  good  and  evil,  John  v. 
29,  there  Chrift  makes  no  diitinction  of  the 
good  being  raifed  immortal  more  than  the  e- 
vil.     St.  Peter  in  Acts  iv.  chapter  preached  the 
fame  doctrine  without  diitinction.     St.  Paul 
■fays,  in  Actsxxiv.  15,  the  Jews  allow  (that  is) 
believe  there  fhall  be  a  refurrection  of  the  dead 
both  of  juft  and  unjuft.     Hence  it  is  evident 
the  Jews  acknowledged  Chrifl's  doctrine  of  the 
refurrection  without  any  parley  or  diftinction, 
refpecting  the  immortality  of  the  evil  any  more 
fehan  the  good.     St.  Paul  when  proving  the 
refurreclion  of  the  dead  in  the  1  Cor.  xv  chap. 
•teftiiles  that  as  in  Adam  all  die.  even  fo  in  Chrift 
fhall  all  be  made  alive,  which  includes  all  good 
or  evil  that  die  by  means  of  the  firft  Adam  ; 
and  although  he  is  primarily  fpeaking  of  thofe 
faints  that  belong  to  the  firft  refurvection,  he 
fays  in  verfe  42,  fo  is  the  refurreclion  of  the 
dead,  how?  "It  is  fown  in  corruption,  it  is 
raifed  in  corruption."    This  he  afferts  in  gener- 
al refpecting  how  the  dead  bodies  of  the  faints 
are  raifed,  and  makes  no  fuch  exception  as  you 
do  refpecting  the  wicked,  nor  Chrift  nor  any 
of  his  apoftles.    Now  if  you  are  wifer  and  more 
difcerning,  to  let  us  into  the  diftinctions  that 


I  39  J 

«ught  to  be  made  refpecling  the  refurreclion 
of  the  dead  bodies  of  Adam's  offspring  than  Je- 
fus  Chrift  and  his  apoftles  were  ;  they  that  e£- 
teem  you  fo  will  doubtlefs  follow  you.  But  1 
fully  believe,  if  this  diftinction  ought  to  have 
been  made,  the  holy  ghoft  would  have  made  it: 
long  before  you  had  a  being,  either  by  Chriii 
or  fome  of  his  infpired  witnefs,  recorded  in  the 
new  teftament.  But  whereas  they  have  not, 
I  cannot  believe  you  are  more  wife  than  Chriii 
and  his  apoitles. 

You  inform  us  in  page  40,  th>t  the  over- 
throw of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  was  ment  to  be- 
an enfample  of  the  laft  day  ;  and  you  quote 
Luke  xvii.  29,  •*  But  the  fame  day  that  lot 
went  out  of  Sodom  it  rained  fire  and  brimftone 
from  heaven,  and  deftroyed  them  all/'  "This 
text,  dear  fir,  you  have  quoted  as  refering  to 
the  laft  day  ;  but  if  you  will  look  more  atten- 
tively, I  believe  you  will  jSnd  yourfelf  mrftak- 
en,  as  you  were  in  page  9,  in  your  firft  pamph- 
let upon  the  day  of  judgment.  There  I  think 
you  fay,  that  the  34  firft  verfes  of  Matt.  xxiv. 
chapter,  have  refpecl  to  the  diftruction  of  Je- 
rufalem,  and  you  fpake  the  truth  by  Chriil's 
authority:  but  in  page  18,  you  fo  far  forgot 
yourfelf  as  to  quote,  I  conceive,  the  word  clouds 
to  prove  that  Chrift  will  make  his  judgment, 
leat  on  a  cloud  from  the  30  verfe  of  faid  xxiv. 
chapter,  which  referred  to  clouds  of  witneffes,. 
whereby  Chriii  was  manifeft  in  his-  heavenly 
power  at  the  day  of  pentecoft,  and  afterwards 
when  the  church  was  fcattered  and  went  every 
where  preaching  the  word,  then-  theft  d3u.d^, 


I  40  ) 

q{  witneffes,like  material  clouds  in  the  heaven*, 
went  from  place  to  place.  This  1  take  to  be 
the  meaning,  be  it  fo  or  not,  it  cannot  refer  to 
the  day  of  judgment,  becaufe  it  was  to  take 
place  before  that  generation  paffed  away.  Like- 
wife  in  page  1 9,  you  quote  the  trumpet  to  no- 
tify the  world  to  judgment  from  the  3 1 ,  where 
Chrift  is  fpeaking,  I  conceive,  of  gathering  to- 
gether his  elect  with  the  great  trumpet  of  the 
gofpel,  as  was  foretold  by  Ifa.  xxvii.  13,  "  And 
it  Hiall  come  to  pafs  in  that  day  (viz,  the  gof- 
pel day)  t  ;at  the  great  trumpet  fhall  be  blown, 
and  they  mail  come  who  were  ready  to  perifh, 
&c.  and  fhall  worfhip  the  Lord  in  the  holy 
mountain  of  Jerufalem."  Agreeably  Chrift 
lays,  verfe  14,  "And  this  gofpel  of  the  king- 
dom fhail  be  preached  in  all  the  world  for  a 
witnefs  to  all  nations,  and  then  fhall  the  end 
come,"  viz.  of  the  Jewifh  church,  flate  and  de- 
duction of  Jerufalem  ->  not  the  final  end  of 
the  world,  or  the  day  of  judgment.  Leaft  I 
mould  forget  it  I  would  here  obferve,you  elfe- 
where  to  ftrenghten  your  chian  of  reafoningi 
<juote  Mai.  iv.  1,  the  latter  part  of  the  verfe,  0- 
mitting  the  burning  oven.  But  it  is  impofli- 
ble  for  you  to  prove  that  the  prophet  was 
there  refering  to  the  day  of  judgment,  if  we  re- 
gard a  connection  with  the  foregoing  chapter, 
for  it  appears  rational  by  comparing  the  iii. 
chap.  1  verfe,  that  the  meffengers  to  prepare 
Chrift's  way  before  him,  had  reference  to  John 
Baptift,  as  it  is  iuterpreted  by  Chrift  in  Matt, 
xi.  10,  for  this  is  he,  viz.  John  Baptift  of  whom 
it  is  written  Mai.  iii.  1,   "Behold I  fend  my 


(4i  > 

sieffenger  before  thy  face  which  fliall  prepare 
thy  way  before  thee."  Then  the  prophet  pro- 
ceeds to  fpeak  of  Chrift's  coming  to  his  tem- 
ple fuddenly,  that  is,  foon  after  John  began  to 
preach,  and  mews  how  he  fhould  be  as  a  refin- 
er, &c.  a  witnefs  againft  the  wicked,  &c.  He 
in  chapter  iv.  foreteis  the  dreadful  calamities 
that  fhould  take  place  againft  the  proud  and 
wicked  Jews  and  inhabitant s of  Jerufalem, more 
particularly  defcribed  in  Matt.  xxiv.  chap,  and 
Luke  xvii.  chap.  Malachi  compares  their  ca- 
lamities by  the  emblem  of  a  burning  oven,  and 
the  wicked  to  ftubble,  and  defer ibes  their  de- 
plorable condition  the  devastation  of  their  coun- 
try and  total  deftruction  of  their  city.  Simi- 
lar to  Jere.  v.  14,  "I  will  make  my  words  in 
thy  mouth  fire,  and  this  people  wood,  and  it 
fliall  devour  them."  This  threatening  defcribes 
their  rain  as  full  in  fhorter  words  as  the  proph- 
et Malachi,  but  what  doth  it  mean  I  Not  to 
fend  them  into  nonexifience,  but  to  fend  & 
nation,  whofe  language  they  knew  not,  to  cap- 
tivate them  and  ruin  their  country.  Such 
tropes  or  figures  of  fpeech  was  commonly  ufed 
by  the  prophets.  Malachi  further  informs 
them  before  this  dreadful  day  took  place,  God 
would  fend  Elijah,  called  in  Mattheuw  Elias,. 
viz  John  Baptift,  and  he  fliall  turn  the  hearts 
of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the  hearts  of 
the  children  to  their  fathers,  leaft  I  come  and 
fmite  the  earth  with  a  curfe.  This  implies  a 
call  and  room  for  i  At  the  day  of 

judgment,  there  -  .urning  of  fath- 

er's or  children,     '  -        Ke  that  is  righteous 


(  4*  ) 

* 

frill  be  righteous  frill,  and  he  that  is  filthy  will 
be  filthy  ftffl." 

Having  made  thefe  obfervations,  I  return 
to  obferve  fomething  more  particular  refpect- 
Ing  your  quotation  of  Luke  xvii.  29,  every  un- 
derftanding  reader  muft  know  by  comparing 
this  chapter  from  the  26  verfe  to  the  end  of 
the  36,  with  the  xxiv.  chap,  of  Matt,  that  St. 
Luke  was  refering  to  the  fame  deftru&ion  of 
Jerufalem  that  St.  Matthew  was,  the  relation  is 
fo  much  word  for  word  alike,  excepting  this 
addition  of  the  Sodomites  in  verfe  28  and  29. 
The  two  laft  verfes  36  and  ^y  will  decide  the 
matter.  When  St.  Luke  mentions  the  fame 
words  in  verfe  36  that  Matthew  mentions  in 
chap.  xxiv.  4©,  Two  men  mall  be  in  the  field, 
the  one  {hall  be  taken  and  the  other  left.  Verfe 
37,and  they  anfwered  and  faid  unto  him, where 
Lord  ?  And  he  faid  unto  them,  wherefoever 
the  body  is,  thither  will  the  eagles  be  gathered 
fogetlier.  Let  every  underilanding  perfon 
judge,  whether  this  figurative  anfwer  refers  to 
the  jews  as  the  devoted  body  left  to  ruin,  and 
the  Roman  armies,  whofe  enflgns  were  eagles, 
was  what  was  fignified  being  gathered  together 
to  deftroy  jerufalem  ?  Or  whether  it  can  mean 
the  nations  of  the  earth  bein:r  railed  from  the 
dead  to  judgment  one  taken  and  another  left  ? 
with  a  number  of  eagles  being  gathered  to- 
gether along  with  them  ? 

Thus,  dear  fir,  you  have  quoted  a  number 
of  texts  to  help  your  caufe  which  is  evident  to 
me  do  not  refer  to  the  purpofe  you  quoted 
theni  for.     I  would  put  myfelf  and  you  in 


(  43  ) 

| 

mind  there  is  a  great  temptation  when  wc  arc 
writing  upon  controveriiai  matters,  and  are 
■ftraightened  to  make  out  to  our  minds  what 
we  defire  to  prove  to  ufe  craftinefs,and  to  han- 
dle the  word  of  God  deceitfully,  inftead  of 
witneffing  the  plain  bible  truth  to  every  man's 
confcience.  I  have  often  been  hurt  in  my  feel- 
ings when  I  have  heard  preachers,  and  read 
books  that  deny  we  are  partakers  of  the  firft 
fin,  viz.  original  fin,  and  deny  bible  election  \ 
for  ftieh  as  deny  the  one  always  deny  the  oth- 
er. Such  are  often  meeting  with  difficulties 
when  they  attempt- to  expound  the  fcriptures, 
becaufe  they  cannot  read  but  very  few  chapters,, 
and  often  but  few  verfes,  without  one  or  the 
other  frand  in  the  way  and  often  puzzel  them 
to  daub  or  plafter  them  over  with  all  their  fkill 
in  perverting  their  pic: In  meaning. 

Dear  fir,  you  ?re  fo  zealous,  1  conceive,  to 
prove  that  the  wicked  afier  they  are  call  into 
hell  at  the  lafi  day,  will  be  as  completely  dif- 
troyed  both  foul  ana  body,  as  the  bodies  of  the 
people  of  Sodom  were  with  their  cities,  that 
you  have  laid  much, yea,  a  great  deal  too  much, 
to  prove  and  anfwer  your  purpole  and  thereby 
have  proved  yourfelf  miftaken .  You  fay, "  the 
foul  and  body  will  be  completely  destroyed  in 
hell,  as  the  bodies  of  the  people  of  Sodom  were." 
How  comes  it  to  pafs  you  do  not  fay  fouls  of 
the  people  of  Sodom  as  well  as  bodies,  what 
can  this  mean  ?  The  foundation  of  ail  your  ar- 
guments, as  obferved  before,  depends  upon  the 
foul  being  mortal  and  that  material  fire  can 
burn  it  into  nonexiftence.  as  well  as  the  body. 


<  44) 

According  to  the  whole  chain  of  your  reafoa- 
ings  the  fouls  &  bodies  of  the  people  of  Sodom 
have  been  burnt  and  deftroyed  into  nonexifb- 
ence  ever  fmce  the  morning  that  Abraham  be- 
held the  frnoke  go  up  as  the  fmoke  of  a  furnace. 
We. have  no  idea  of  any  hotter  fire  than  a  fur- 
nace. Your  plannet  that  you  think  is  likely 
ij:  this  world,  the  flaming  fire  of  the 
mt  day,  whether  planetary  or  any  otli* 

ateriil  fire,  will  be  no  hotter  to  burn  com- 

:-ies  than  the  vehement  heat  of  the  fire  of 
Sodom >  that  we  have  any  account  or  idea  of. 

You  further  lay5  everlafting  punifhment 
means  everlafting  destruction^  and  argues  with 
all  your  n-ight  to  prove  that  eternal  fire  imme. 
diately  confumes  foul  and  body  into  nonexeft- 
ence,  and  is  not  ever  burning,  but  when  it 
takes  place  the  wicked  will  be  deftroyed  and 
jwill  be  no  more,  if  I  underftand  you.  If  this 
is  true>  the  men  of  Sodom  were  certainly  in  a 
£a;e  binoriexifldnce  in  the  apoftle  Jude's  time, 
and  were  no  more  ;  for  he  teftifies  they  were 
then  fuffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire.  He 
doth  not  fay  of  them  as  of  the  rebel  angels  that 
were  relerved  in  chains  unto  the  judgment  of 
the  great  day,  no  ;  but  they  were  then  fuffer- 
ing the  vengeaiice  of  eternal  fire,  which  is  the 
fame  fire  our  Lord  Jefus  fpeaks  of  in  Matt.  xxv. 
41,  which  all  the  curfed  mull  depart  into  at 
the  day  of  judgment,  as  well  as  the  men  of 
Sod c m.  Dear  fir a  if  y our  chain  of  reafoning  is 
ti  ue,  they  were  then  in  nonexiflence,  unlefs 
i  can  prove  there  is  two  forts  of  eternal  fire, 

h  would  be  as  difficult  I  think  as  to  prove 


i  45  ; 

a  purgatory.  Therefore  it  is  evident  to  a  de- 
monftration,  their  fouls  were  immortal,  and 
are  not  burnt  with  material  fire,  nor  will  not 
be  burnt  with  eternal  fire  into  nonexiftence  ; 
or  elfe  they  are  in  nonexiftence  already,  and 
have  been  from  the  days  of  Abraham,  and  thus 
remained  when  St.  Jude  wrote  his  Epiftle.  If 
they  are  in  nonexiftence,  they  cannot  appear  at 
the  judgment  with  the  people  of  Capernaum, 
and  have  a  more  tolerable  punifhment  than 
they  will  have,  except  they  are  created  cut 
of  nonexiftence,  or  are  kept  in  exiftence  by  a 
continued  mirpxle.  Thefe  things  you  have  yet 
got  to  clear  out  of  the  way,  if  you  can,  for 
they  are  felf  evident  according  to  fcripture  and 
found  reafon  ;  or  all  your  arguments  to  prove 
the  nonexiftence  of  the  fouls  of  the  wicked,  a- 
mount  to  nothing  more  than  an  abfurdity. 

Whereas  you  think  the  plaineft  text  to 
prove  the  wicked  will  have  an  everduring  ftate 
of  mifery  is  Rev.  xx.  10.  And  the  devil  that 
deceived  them  was  caft  into  the  lake  of  fire  and 
brimftone,  where  the  beaft  and  the  falfe  prophet 
are,  and  mall  be  tormented  day  and  night 
forever  and  ever.  This  text  would  prove  it 
nicely  as  I  underftand  you,  if  it  was  not  men- 
tioned as  taking  place  before  the  refurrection 
of  the  dead,  firft  book,  page  2  6.  In  your  fecond 
book,  page  43,  you  fay,,  it  has  no  reference  to 
the  punrfhment  of  the  wicked  at  the  laft  day^ 
kc.     But  the  old  Roman  goverment,  &x. 

I  will  take  a  view  of  the  account  of  what 
the  Revelater  fays  he  faw  in  faid  chap  xx.  with 
feme  •therScripture  texts  refering  to  the  feme* 


C  46  ) 

In  order  thereunto,  it  may  be  proper  to  ob- 
ierve,there  is  difficulty  in  explaining  prophecies 
of  temporal  events,  and  fome  parts  of  the  Rev- 
elations,until  they  receive  their  accomplimment, 
For  as  writers  have  juftly  obferved,  it  is  the 
nature  of  fuch  prophefies  not  to  be  thoroughly 
understood  till  they  are  thoroughly  fulfilled. 
I  do  not  pretend  to  be  accurate  nor  to  under- 
stand but  in  Dart,  neither  am  1 2:01112; to  contend 
about  things  that  I  or  any  mortal  can  be  cer- 
tain they  have  got  an  exact  idea  of,  until  the 
day  mall  declare  it.  I  only  communicate  how 
I  understand  and  believe  in  general  respecting 
the  resurrection  of  juft  and  unjust ;  Although 
we  cannot  be  exact  and  affertive  reflecting;  fuch 
important  matters,  The  account  is  fo  expreft 
by  comparing  fundry  fcriptures,  we  may  fafe- 
ly  eonfult  them  to  strengthen  our  faith  in  the, 
tmiverfal  and  perfect  government  of  Jehovah, 
provided  we  do  not  interpret  them  contrary 
to  any  exprefs  declarations  of  Christ  and  his  a- 
poftles  ;  If  we  do  we  fall  into  an  error.  It  is 
well  known  in  the  prophetic  language  of  fcrip- 
ture,  a  kingdom  is  often  reprefented  by  fome 
kind  of  beast,  nor  is  it  unusual  in  fcripture  for 
the  fame  thing  or  fubjeclto  be  reprefented  un- 
der different  Similitudes.  In  this  xx.  chap,  the 
old  f:rpent  is  caked  the  dragon  ;  he  is  men- 
tioned in  chap.  xii.  I  think  before  the  beast  and 
the  falfe  prophets,  and  he  will  continue  to 
practice  internal  wickednefs  until  he  is  fasten- 
ed in  the  bottoinlefs  pit  a  1  oeo  years,  and  as 
&on  as  he  is-  loofed  he  will  manifeft  like  enmi- 
ty in  gathering  gog  and  magog,  the  haters-  of 


C  47  ) 

the  faving  truth,  to  attempt  one  more  battle 
&gainft  the  children  of  the  firft  refurrection — < 
but  it  will  be  the  laft  we  have  any  account  of 
he  will  ever  be  fuffered  to  attempt  to  eternity. 
The  villous  that  the  beloved  difciple  John  re- 
lates in  the  xx.  chap.  Firft  informs  us  of  the 
dragon  which  is  the  devil  and  fatan  beingbound 
and  fecured  faft  in  the  bottomlefs  pit  for  a  i  ooo 
years.  The  next  account  is  that  he  few  thrones 
and  they  that  fat  upon  them,  and  judgment 
was  given  unto  them.  This  I  conceive,  agrees 
wi'ch  what  our  Lord  Jems  told  his  apoftles, 
Matt.  xix.  28,  when  the  Son  of  man  {hall  fit 
in  the  throne  of  his  glory,  yea,  alfo  mall  fit  up- 
on  12  thrones  judging  the  12  tribes  of  Ifrael. 
I  underftand  the  revelator  had  a  view  of  Chrift 
and  his  apoftles  appearing  on  thrones  to  judge 
the  righteousbelonging  to  the  firft  refurrection. 
Accordingly  the  next  thing  he  few  was  the 
fouls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  wit- 
nefs  of  Jefus,  &c.  &c.  and  they  lived  and  reign- 
ed with  Chrift  a  1000  years.  But  the  reft  of 
the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the  1 000  years 
were  finifhed.  This  is  the  firft  refurrection  I 
underftand  by  comparing  St.  Paul  and  the  rev- 
elator, the  righteous  will  be  raifed  a  1000 
years  before  the  wicked,  for  the  apoftles  fay, 
1  Theft,  iv.  chap.  "  The  dead  in  Chrift  fhall 
rife  firft."  He  doth  not  fay  how  long  firft, but 
St.  John  feys  a  1 000  years  firft,  and  he  further 
fays,  "  BleiTed  are  they  that  have  part  in  the 
iirft  refurrection."  There  is  no  other  refur- 
rection mentioned  for  the  righteous  in  the  bi- 
ble.   St.  John  only  mentions  the  leading  char- 


(  4*  j 

xclers  of  thofe  who  have  part  in  the  firft  ref- 
urredlion,  viz.  thofe  who  were  beheaded  for 
the  witnefs  of  Jefus,  &c.  in  behalf  of  all  the 
reft.  But  St.  Paul  fays,  "them  alfo  which 
fleepin  Jefus  will  God  bring  with  him,"  viz. 
at  the  firft  refurreclion  ;  which  includes  all 
the  faints  who  fleep  in  Jefus.  You  fay,  "  that 
after  the  dead  are  all  raifed  out  of  their  graves., 
both  righteous  and  wicked,  and  thofe  alive 
changed,  they  will  all  in  a  promifcuous  affem- 
bly  be  gathered  before  the  judge  in  the  air." 
My  bible  doth  not  fay  any  fuch  a  thing,  as  I 
conceive.  St.  Paul  fays,  at  the  voice  of  the 
archangel,  &£.  we,  viz.  the  faints  which  are  a- 
live,  viz.  upon  the  earth  fhall  be  caught  up  to- 
gether with  them,  viz.  that  Chrift  brings  with 
him  at  the  firft  refurreclion.  St.  Paul  is  more 
particular  in  i  Cor.  xv.  chap.  "  Behold  I  fhew 
you  a  miftery  ;  we  fhall  not  all  fleep,  but  we 
fhall  all  be  changed,  &c."  The  miftery  of  a 
thing  is  the  plain  meaning  of  it,  viz.  that  the 
righteous  who  are  alive  when  the  trumpet 
blows  to  raife  them  who  have  done  good  to  the 
refurreclion  of  life,  the  living  faints  will  be 
changed  in  a  moment  from  mortal  to  immor- 
tal, and  be  qualified  for  the  glorified  ftate,and 
to  meet  their  Lord  in  the  air, with  all  that  be- 
long to  the  firft  refurreclion,  and  will  reign 
with  Chrift  a  iooo  years,  but  the  reft  of  the 
dead,  viz.  gog  and  magog,with  all  the  wicked 
lived  not  again  until  the  iooo  years  were  fin- 
ifhed  ;  this  is  the  matter  of  facl,  as  I  underftand 
the  bible  account.  The  next  thing  related  is, 
that  upon  fatan  being  loofed  the  old  dragon 


(  49  ) 

who  had  been  with  his  angels,  warring  agairtft 

Michael  and  his  angels,  Rev.  xii.  7,  viz.  jefus 
Chrift  and  his  inftru merits  ever  fince  Cain  kil- 
led his  brother  Abel.  Satan  will  be  fatan  ftill3and 
no  fooner  loofed  will  attempt  one  more  battle 
againft  the  holy  city.  Accordingly  he  will 
gather  together  gog  and  magog,  &c.  and  they 
will  compafs  the  camp  of  the  faints.  He  then 
mentions  their  disappointment,  being  devour- 
ed by  the  fire  of  God's  wrath,  called  lire  out 
of  heaven,  elfewhere  called  the  great  day  of  his 
wrath  ;  and  immediately  proceeds  to  give  a 
more  particular  account  how  this  fire  will  take 
place,  as  I  conceive,  by  relating  his  vilion  of 
one  fettino;  on  a  Qreat  white  throne,  and  the 
dead,  fmall  and  great,  {landing  before  God. 
Mark,  thefe  dead  will  be  thofe  who  belong  to 
the  refurrection  of  damnation,  viz.  Gog  and 
magog,  the  goats  Chrift.  fpeaks  of  Matt.  xxv. 
chap.  They  will  be  gathered  on  the  left  hand  ; 
tliefheep  will  be  gathered  a  1000  years  before 
this,  and  will  enter  by  the  gates  into  the  holy 
city.  Then  John  faw  the  books  opened  and 
the  fallen  angels  who  had  deceived  gog  and  ma- 
gog were  judged  by  an  heavenly  book,  the  par- 
ticulars we  cannot  defcribe  ;  for  the  apoftle 
jude  fays,  verfe  6,  they  are  referved  unto  the 
judgment  of  the  great  day.  The  book  of  the 
law  of  nature,  or  creation,  and  the  book  of  the 
law  of  Mofes,  and  the  book  of  life,  and  the 
dead,  viz.  the  wicked  dead,  gog  and  magog 
will  be  judged  out  of  thofe  things  which  were 
written  in  the  books,  according  to  their  works  ; 
and  thofe  which  were  under  the  gofpcl  or  fcook 


I  50 ) 

of  life,  by  which  the  children  of  the  firft  refur- 
rection  were  excepted,  being  found  disbelievers 
and  rejecters  of  the  gofpel,  there  will  not  one 
be  found  in  the  book  of  life  that  was  overlook- 
ed at  the  firft  refurredion.  So  they  will  be 
caft  into  the  lake  of  fire,  even  all  that  were  not 
found  written  in  the  book  of  life.  Thus  they 
will  be  devoured  by  the  fire  of  God's  wrath 
fromGod  out  of  heaven  in  all  their  evil  inten- 
tions againfl  the  beloved  city.  Not  before  the 
judgment  fits,  but  after  judgment  is  pronounc- 
ed depart  ye  curfed  into  everlafting  fire  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels.  Thus  all  of 
them  will  be  caft  down  together  both  fatan, 
gog  and  magog,  and  the  wicked  will  be  tor- 
mented with  the  fame  kind  of  fire  which  was 
prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels  before  the 
wicked  had  an  exiftence,  viz.  the  fire  of  God's 
wrath,  according  to  Chrift's  word,  which  will 
judge  us  at  the  laft  day. 

The  revelator  fays,  In  verfe  7,  and  when 
the  1000  years  are  expired,  fatan  fhall  be  loof- 
cd,  8ec  verfe  8,  and  fhall  go  out  to  deceive  the 
nations  which  are  in  the  four  quarters  of  the 
earth  (thefe  he  calls)  gog  and  magog,  to  gath- 
er them  together  to  battle :  the  number  of 
whom  is  as  the  fand  of  the  fea.  Verfe  9,  and  as 
they  compaffed  the  camp  and  the  beloved  city, 
ike  came  down  from  God  out  of  heaven  and 
devoured  them. 

Thefe  numberlefs  millions  belonging  to 
the  refurre&ion  of  damnation  you  reprelent, 
as  I  conceive,  were  after  they  were  devoured  by 
lire,  brought,  fmall  and  great,  to  ftand  before 


t5l  ) 

God,  and  were  judged  out  of  the  books  ac- 
cording to  their  works.  How  can  this  be  ac- 
counted for  if  they  were  devoured  by  fire  r  be- 
ing mortal  foul  and  body  they  mult  be  con- 
fumed  before  the  judgment  fat,  if  this  being 
devoured  by  fire  from  God  cut  of  heaven 
means  to  ceafe  to  be.  It  is  impoilible  to  our 
reafon  that  they  could  appear  foon  after  be- 
fore the  judgment,  for  that  which  is  not  can- 
not be  numbered  and  compared  in  number  to 
the  fand  of  the  lea.  It  is  evident  by  comp.;:  - 
-ing  this  fire  with  what  St.  Paul  fpeaks  of  a, 
■Theff.  i.  chap,  It  is  the  very  flaming  fire  of 
vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  viz. 
gog  and  magog  to  punifh  them  with  an  ever- 
lafting  deftru&ion,  &c.  This  certainly  mu ft 
mean  the  flaming  fire  that  you  reprefent  to  put 
a  complete  end  to  the  wicked  ;  therefore  ft 
could  not  take  place  before  the  judgment  fat, 
It  is  pfein  to  me  in  order  to  conceive  a  confift- 
ency  of  the  narrative  given,  the  revelator  hav- 
ing fpoke  of  the  devil,  with  gog  and  magog., 
having  compaiTed  the  camp  of  the-faints,  men- 
tions their  fudden  difappointment,  and  how 
the  devil  at  the  fame  time  was  dif appointed, 
and  then  proceeds  more  particularly  to  tell  i:  v 
how  the  judgment  fat,  and  they  were  all  called 
and  judged  out  of  the  books, and  all  the  wicked 
were  devoured ;  and  the  devil  that  deceived 
them  being  judged  and  condemned,  was  caf}; 
into  the  lake  of  lire  and  brimftone  along;  with 
them,  whom  he  had  deceived,  where  the  beaft 
and  thefalfe  prophet  are,. 


(52    ) 

When  you  and  a  thoufand  others  have 
guefled  what  the  beaft  and  the  falfe  prophet 
mean,  it  is  evident  they  are  included  with  the 
wicked,  and  were  devoured  by  the  fire  of  God 
at  the  refurrection  of  damnation,  according  to 
the  hooks  they  were  judged  by,  and  being  fcnt 
into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimitone,  which  our 
Lord  Jefus  exprelfes  by  everhfting  fire,  the  de- 
vil was  iudsred  and  caft  in  along:  with  them, 
Fbis  is  the  molt  confiftent  view  I  am  able  to 
form  of  the  account  given  in  faid  xx.  chap,  of 
Revektions,compared  with  other  texts  refpecl- 
ing  the  wicked  at  the  day  of  judgment,  it  can- 
not mean  any  punifhment  or  torment  in  time, 
for  that  cannot  be  forever  and  ever. 

This  fire  from  heaven  I  take  to  be  what  is 
fpoken  of  in  Thefiklonians,  mentioned  by  St. 
Paul,  taking  vengeance  en  them  that  know  not 
God,  viz.  gog  k  magog.  This  is  the  crifis,  t 
appears  to  me,for  your  wandering  ftar  to  burn 
up  this  earth,  if  ever  it  is  to  be  burnt  up  by  a 
cofnit.  This  is  the  time  I  think  referred  to  by 
St.  Peter,  2  Epiftfc,iii.chap.  whether  St.  Peter 
meant  by  the  word  earth  in  the  10th  verfe,  any 
more  than  he  did  by  the  word  world  in  the 
fixth  verfe,  viz.  the  inhabitants  of  the  world, 
I  muft  leave  for  the  day  to  declare  it  (as  St. 
Paul  fays,  1  Cor.  iii.  13,)  becaufe  it  fhall  be  re* 
vealed  by  fire  ;  and  whether  there  will  be  any 
other  fire  befides  the  fire  of  God's  word,  which 
will  try  every  man's  work  of  what  fort  it  is, 
I  am  willing  to  leave  to  my  dear  redeemer, 
who  is  to  manage  the  whole  important  tranf- 
actions  of  that  great  reckoning  day.      If  by 


C  53  ) 

earth  St.  Peter  meant  the  terreftrial  globe  and 
the  works  of  men  built  upon  it,  then  the  earth 
mufl  be  as  really  burnt  up  and  confumed  as 
the  building,  &e.  but  you  fay  "  this  fire  will  not 
deflroy  the  earth,"  &c.  where  do  you  learn  it  ? 
Your  idea  is  as  a  riddle  to  me.  The  works 
therein  will  be  burnt  up  by  this  fire,  that  is,  to- 
tally deftroyed  as  briars  and  thorns  are  deftroy- 
ed when  burnt  with  fire,  and  the  wicked  will 
be  raifed  corruptible,  fay  you,  and  perim, 
being  deftroyed  by  fire,  that  is  burnt  up.  St. 
Peter  fays,  the  earth  {hall  be  burnt  up  as  well 
as  the  works,  &c.  You  fay  "  not  deftroyed." 
When  you  want  a  metaphorical  word  or  fen- 
tence  to  mean  final  deftruction,  then  that  is  its 
meaning,  if  not,  then  in  your  opinion  it  means 
fomething  eife  which  is  all  the  proof  you  have 
offered  that  I  can  fee.  You  fay,  fee  verfe  13,  as 
though  it  was  a  proof  of  what  you  had  faid. 
But  verfe  13  doth  not  fay  a  word  about  it.  It 
fpeaks  of  a  new  heaven  and  earth  ;  it  fays 
nothing  of  any  old  earth  being  brought  into  a 
new  and  pure  ftate,  viz.  the  terreftrial  globe. 
The  revelator  fays,  from  the  face  of  him  that 
fat  on  the  great  white  throne,  the  earth  and 
the  heaven,  fled  away ;  and  there  was  found 
no  place  for  them.  Rev.  xx,  1 1,  If  there  is  no 
pLce  found  for  the  earth  or  the  material  heav- 
en they  cannot  be  the  habitation  of  the  faints 
within  unbounded  fpace.  If  we  can  find  what 
heaven  and  earth  will  See  away  from  the  face 
o.?  the  great  Judge  Jefus  Chriit  at  the  day  Gf 
judgment,  it  may  help  us  to  form  an  idea  of 
what  is  msnt  by  the  new  heavens  and  the  new 

E2 


(  54  ) 

earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteoufnefs.  If  we 
confider  the  term  earth  is  a  word  by  which 
the  inhabitants  of  it  who  dwell  in  earthly  and 
corruptable  bodies  are  called,  Jere.  xxii.  29,  O 
earth,  earth,  earth,  hear  ye  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  that  is,  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth. 
Likewife  the  earth  {hall  be  full  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Lord,  &c.  I(a.  xi.  9,  and  xxxiv.  j, 
let  the  earth  hear,  &c.  Many  fuch  texts  doth 
not  mean  the  element  of  earth,  but  the  people. 
At  the  appearence  and  face  of  Jems  Chrift  at 
the  firft  refurreclion,  thefe  earthly  bodies  in 
our  prefent  mortal  and  corruptible  ftate  will 
ilee  away,  and  there  will  be  no  place  found  for 
them  ;  for  corruption  will  put  on  incorrup- 
tion,  and  mortal  immortality,  and  the  heavens 
of  the  church  militant  will  flee  away  and  be- 
come the  church  triumphant;  faith  will  be  fwal- 
lowedup  in  viiion,  and  hope  in  fruition,  and 
militant  grace  exchanged  for  glory.  Thus 
there  will  be  truely  a  new,,  heaven  and  a  new 
earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteouineis  be  fide 
the  terreftrial  globe.  In  this  new  earth  there 
will  be  no  fea.  At  the  refurreclion  of  damna- 
tion when  the  devil  compaffeth  the  beloved  city, 
the  earth  of  gog  and  magog,  I  mean  their  cor- 
ruptible and  mortal  ftate  will  flee  away,  and 
they  made  immortal,  and  ihall  come  forth  their 
bodies  from  the  earth  and  feas,  and  their  fouls 
fhali  hell  give  up  to  the  refurreclion  of  damna- 
tion. The  new  heavens  and  earth  referred  to 
by  St. Peter,  I  conceive,  is  primarily  pointed  at 
agreeable  to  the  fenfe  I  have  deicribed,  for  he 
mention  a  pvornjfe,  and  feys,  ncvenh^efii  we 


(  55  ) 

look  according  to  his  promife  for  a  new  heaven 
•and  new  earth,  &c.  The  apoftle  refers  to  Ifa. 
lxv.  17,  and  Ixvi.  22 — For  behold  I  create  new 
fceavetts  and  a  new  earth  ;  and  the  former  ihall 
not  be  remembered,nor  come  into  mind.  Verfe 
18,  But  be  ye  glad  and  rejoice  forever  in  that 
which  I  create  ;  for  behold  I  create  Jerufalem 
a  rejoicing, and  her  people  a  joy,  &C;  The  voice 
of  weeplr.g  (hall  be  no  more  heard  in  her,  nor 
the  voice  01  crying.  Chap.  Ixvi.  22,  For  as 
the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth  which  I 
will  make,  mail  remain  before  rne,  faith  the 
Lord,  &c.  As  to  any  new  model  or  fafhion  of 
the  material  or  elementary  heavens  or  earth, 
the  Scriptures  have  not  explicitly  revealed 
what,  or  how,  or  my  under  Handing  is  not  o- 
pened  to  difcern  it ;  neither  is  it  effential  to  our 
falvation,  whether  we  know  until  the  day  mail 
declare  it.  If  I  can  be  fo  happy  as  to  have  a 
part  in  the  firft  refurrection,  I  am  content  to 
leave  it  to  the  g£eat  judge  who  knows  all  a- 
bout  it. 

Chrift  fays,  before  him  (hall  be  gathered 
together  all  nations.  Chrift  doth  not  fay  how 
long  he  (hall  be  in  executing  the  numberlefs 
millions  of  accounts  contained  in  the  feveral 
books,  at  the  day  of  judgment,  whether  a  day 
confifting  of  twenty-four  hours,  or  thoufancls 
of  years,  ft  will  be  the  day  of  judgment  from 
the  firft  to  the  laft  while  it  continues,  be  it  lon- 
ger or  Ihorter.  Our  Lord  Jefus  fays,  John  v. 
28  &  2e,  uFor  the  hour  is  coining:,  in  the  which 
all  that  are  in  the  graves  ihall  hear  his  voice, 
and  fhaji  come  forth )  they  that  have  done  good, 


(  56  ) 

\mto  the  refurreclion  of  life  ;  and  they  that 
have  done  evil,  unto  the  refurreclion  of  dam- 
nation." Hence  fome  may  think  that  all  the 
dead,juft  and  unjufl,  will  be  railed  in  one  and 
the  fame  hour.  But  it  is  evident  by  the  more, 
particular  account  given  by  the  apoftles,  that 
the  hour  is  coming  when  the  good  fhall  come 
forth  to  the  refurreclion  of  life  ;  and  the  hour 
is  coming  when  the  evil  mall  come  forth  to  the 
refurreclion  of  damnation.  But  the  hour  that 
the  good  will  come  forth,  will  be  a  thoufand 
years  before  the  hour  that  the  evil  will  come 
forth,  according  to  St.  Paul  &  St.  John's  ac- 
count of  the  refurreclion  of  the  righteous,  and 
of  the  wicked.  I  underfland  thofe  who  belong 
to  the  firft  refurreclion  who  were  dead,  will 
hear  his  voice  and  be  feparated  from  the  wick- 
ed and  come  forth,  and  the  living  faints  will 
be  changed  and  will  be  honored  with  right 
hand  honor  a  iooo  years.  Then  gog  and 
magog,  all  thofe  whofe  bodies  were  held  by 
death  this  iooo  years  in  earth  or  fea,  and  all 
the  fouls  in  hell  will  be  gathered  together,  death 
and  hell  will  give  up  their  dead  ;  and  when  the 
judgment  is  pafl  according  to  the  bocks,  all  the 
bodies  m  earth  or  fea  being  raifed  immortal, 
and  their  fouls  being  gathered  out  of  hell,  and 
united  to  their  bodies,  death  and  hell,  that  is, 
all  bodies  held  under  the  power  of  dea'h,  and 
the  fouls  gathered  out  of  hell,  will  be  caft  into 
the  lake  of  fire.  I  conceive  this  to  be  what  is 
ment  by  death  and  hell,  beino;  call  into  the  lake 
of  fire.  This  is  the  fecond  death,  diftingiuihed 
from  the  firft,  became  -the  bodies  being  at  reft. 


(  57  ) 

before  under  the  power  of  death,  there  was  not 
a  full  and  complete  punimment  of  body  and 
foul  united,  but  then  body  and  foul  being  pre- 
pared, to  fuffer  the  everlafting  fire,  our  Lord 
fpeaks  of  Matt.  xxv.  41,  prepared  for  the  devil 
and  his  angels,  which  is  the  fame  thai  St.  John 
means  by  the  lake  of  fire. 

The  firft  death  that  took  place  upon  the 
firft  man  Adam,  was  a  death  of  trefpafs  and  iin. 
Hence  fear  ariimg  from  guilt,  deprived  the  fin- 
ner  of  that  love  and  favour  cf  God  which  is 
thchappinefs  and  life  of  the  foul ;  not  that  the 
iinner  ceafed  to  be,but  was  to  be  punimed  with 
briars  and  thorns,  and  fweat  and  lobor,  and 
expofedto  various  forrows  and  calamities  dur- 
ing the  time  he  lived  on  the  earth.  But  where- 
as it  pleafed  God  to  reveal  a  remedy  through 
the  eternal  word  and  true  light,  viz.  Jefus 
Chrift,  to  deliver  the  finner  from  the  firft  death 
with  all  its  confequences  who  mould  believe 
and  have  a  ihare  in  this  remedy.  Man  there- 
by became  a  prifoner  of  hope.  The  finful  fami- 
ly of  Adam  who  live  and  die  diibelieving  this 
Remedy  after  the  refurrection,  is  to  die  the  feo 
ond  death,  which  is  a  death  of  defpair  and  ever- 
lading  punimment  for  fin  in  everlafting  fire, 
prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels  ;  not 
that  their  fouls  or  bodies  will  ceafe  to  exift  or 
have  a  being  any  more  than  they  ceafed  to  be 
by  the  firft  death.  By  faying  if  death  means 
to  live,  kc.  you  have  difplayed  your  cunning 
to  render  it  inconfiftent.  But  that  the  wicked 
will  live  a  life  of  exiftence,  that  is,  have  a  ftate 
of  being  forever  and  ever  in  the  lake  of  fire  and 


(  58  ) 

brimftone,  which  is  called  the  feccnd  death ,  is 
as  true  as  the  bible  teftimony  :  otherwife  their 
worm  would  die,  and  the  everlafting  fire  would 
be  quenched — mind  that.  The  Sodomites  have 
been  long  dead,  fullering  the  vengeance  of  e- 
ternal  fire,  yet  they  live  a  life  of  exigence  and 
muft  be  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and  the  fame 
power  that  fupports  their  life  of  exiftence  now, 
will  continue  it  forever  and  ever  in  what  is  cal- 
led the  fecond  death,  according  to  the  tefti- 
mony  of  Chrift  and  his  apoftles.  In  this  fcrip- 
tural  fenfe  they  will  live  forever  and  ever  after 
they  are  dead  in  the  other  fenie.  However, 
you  may  play  with  the.  words  life  and  death  be- 
caufe  they  have  feveral  different  fenfes  in  the 
holy  fcriptures.  When  you  have  ufed  your 
utmoft  fkil!  to  prove  your  opinion,  what  is 
meant  by  the  fecond  death,  is  fo  plainly,  par- 
ticularly and  fully  exprefTed  by  Chrift  and  his 
apoftles,  that  to  an  enlightened  mind  who  be^ 
lieves  the  fcriptures, it  carries  its  own  evidence, 
and  juftly  admits  of  no  argument  to  the  con- 
trary :  neither  can  it  be  entangled  with  all  the 
fophiftry  that  you  or  any  mortal  can  invent. 
If  any  perfen  is  polieiled  with  fuch  credulity  as 
to  be  perfuaded  that  to  be  curfed  by  Chrift,  and 
told  to  depart  into  everlafting  fire  prepared  for 
the  devil  and  his  an  gels,  and  there  to  have  an 
everlafting  purdfhrnerit,  means  nothing  more 
than  to  be  fuddenlyburnt  up  with  material  fire, 
foul  and  bodv  into  nothing:  ;  that  is,  not  to 
have  an  exiftence  in  any  iz?lz  of  the  word 
whatever,  ^  according  to  your  account.  For 
nothing  to  have  a  part  in  a  nothing  lake  that 


I  59  / 

burns  with  a  nothing  fire  and  brimftone,wherci 
the  devil  mall  be  tormented  with  a  nothing 
torment,  day  and  night,  forever  and  ever,  all 
means  nothing  more  than  to  be  confumed  fud- 
denly  into  nothing,  both  wicked  men  and  de-> 
vils  ;  and  inflead  of  weeping  and  gnafhing  of 
teeth,  it  will  be  all  nothing,  no  exiftence  of 
fouls  or  bodies,  or  what  is  called  everlafting 
fire,  &c.  All  the  dreadful  and  terrifying  ex- 
preflions  made  ufe  of  by  the  holy  ghoft,  mean 
no  more  than  a  fudden  death,  ceafing  to  be  in 
any  fenfe  whatever.  I  conceive  if  there  is  any 
fuch  credulous  perfon  or  perfons,  it  is  but. 
little  benefit  for  them  to  have  a  bible.  It  ap=, 
pears  impofiible  to  our  fenfes,  that  the  wicked 
without  exiftence,  can  in  any  proper  fenfe  of 
the  word  have  a  part  in  everlafting  fire,  with 
eyes,  hands  and  feet,  wrIiere  their  worm  dieth 
not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched,  and  for  the, 
devil  to  be  tormentd  for  ever  and  ever  without 
an  exiftence,  is  fuch  a  contradiction  to  every 
fenllble  idea  we  can  form  either  from  fcrip- 
ture  or  reafon,  it  is  a  complete  abfurdity. 

Here  I  muft  remark  the  difference  what 
Chr-ift  fays,  reflecting  the  righteous  and  the. 
wicked.  Then  mail  the  king  fay  unto  them 
on  his  right  hand,  come  ye  bleffed  of  my  fa-, 
ther,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you- 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  Here  it  is- 
evident,  this  kingdom  was  prepared  for  all  the 
theep,  viz.  that  belong  to  the  nrft  refurrectioii. 
in  the  foreknowledge  of  God,  when  it  was  pre- 
pared for  the  apoftles  and  prophets.  Chrift 
<ioth  not  fay  of  the  puniQirnent  as  he  doth  of 


( to ) 

the  bleffings,  that  it  was  prepared  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world  ;  if  fo,  men  might  think 
God  defigned  men's  punifhment  before  they 
finned.  Although  Chrift  fays  to  the  faints, 
come  ye  bleffed  of  my  father,  &c.  he  faith  not 
to  the  wicked,  go  ye  curfed  of  my  father,  for 
God  is  the  author  and  procurer  of  men's  hap- 
pinefs,  but  man  only  is  the  author  of  his  own 
mifery  :  we  mould  always  keep  this  diftinction 
in  view.  This  lire  of  hell  I  underftand  to  be 
the  fire  of  God's  wrath,  poured  out  upon  the 
rebel  angels  before  Adam  finned.  Thofe  im- 
material, invifible  fpirits  could  not  be  torment- 
ed with  elementary  fire  any  more  than  air,  as  I 
conceive  of  it ;  and  the  like  fire  of  God's  wrath 
will  torment  thofe  who  belong  to  the  refurrec- 
tion  of  damnation.  Remember,  fays  Abraham, 
thou  in  thy  life  time  receivedft  thy  good  things, 
Luke  xvi.  Their  worm  will  never  die,  but 
always  be  reflecting  upon  their  own  choice  of 
the  pleafures  of  fin  in  time,  and  trying  to  gain 
the  world,  &c.  Time  finfully  wafted,  feafons 
of  grace  flighted,  the  mercies  of  God  abufed, 
the  reproof  of  the  fpirit  quenched  :  then  con- 
fcience  roaring  under  the  guilt  of  keen  defpair 
for  not  minding  Chrift's  warnings,  what  mail 
it  profit  to  gain  the  world  and  loofe  the  foul, 
&c  ?  Thus  the  fire  of  Chrift's  word  will  never  be 
quenched,  the  truth  will  eternally  pronounce 
damnation  againft  them  for  their  pride,  unbe- 
lief, and  enmity  againft  the  plan  of  free  grace, 
2.nd  the  crofs  of  Jefus.  The  body  in  all  its  mem- 
bers will  be  a  mean  of  torment,  I  expect;  their 
eyes   with  frightful   fpectacles,  and  their  old 


(  6j  ) 

companions  in  fin,  every  time  they  behold  fuch 
with  whom  they  have  committed  adultry,  mur- 
der, knavery,  with  every  other  crime,  it  will 
revive  their  guilt,  and  enrage  their  defpair  ; 
while  their  ears  are  rilled  with  waitings,  out- 
cries, and  gnafhing  of  teeth  out  of  ang 
foul,  upbraiding  and  curling  one  another  for 
their  fin  and  folly  ,and  their  God  and  their  kin^, 
and  looking  upward,  never  expecting  to  be  in 
any  wife  relieved  to  eternity.  O,  eternity  ! 
eternity  !  this  will  clinch  the  nail  of  their  tor- 
ments ;  but  could  they  believe  your  private  in- 
ter pretati  on  of  certain  texts,  that  they  mould 
be  burnt  up.  and  fent  into  nonexistence  after 
thou  Kinds  cf  years,  it  would  be  glad  tidings 
in  hell  to  thofe  damned  rebels,  inltead  of  being 
confidered  as  a  punxfluhent,  as  it  appears  to  me. 
For  when 'the  great  day  of  God's  wrath,  the 
flaming  fire  of  his  vengeance,  {hall  take  place 
at  the  refurreclicn  of  damnation,  the  devour- 
ing fire  of  his  voice  will  force  thofe,  no  doubt, 
who  by  perfecution  had  driven  ChrifVs  fheep 
into  dens  and  caves,  to  call  upon  the  mountains 
to  hide  themfelves,  any  deliverance  would  be 
welcome,  but  alas  S  all  help  will  fail,  and  all 
hope  will  be  deftroyed,  falie  confidences  and 
vain  expectations  will  be  then  confumed,  which 
I  take  to  be  in  general,  the  meaning  of  thofe  ex- 
preiiions  of  per  hiring,  being  confumed,  burnt 
up  like  briars  and  thorns,  blown  away  like 
chaff,  &c.  which  you  mention.  It  doth  not 
mean  the  nonexiftence  of  their  being,  no  ;  it 
would  contradict  a  cloud  cf  fcripture  teitimo- 
nies.     You  may  fay,  Chrift  is  able  to  deftroy 


(    62    ) 

both  foul  and  body  (where  ?)  in  hell,  granted. 
St.  Luke  fays,  Luke  xii.  after  he  hath  killed, 
hath  power  to  caft  into  hell.  What  killing  is 
tha«t  ?  not  nonexiftencc  that  doth  not  dwell  in 
hell  nor  any  where  elfe.  Becaufe  Chrift  has 
power  to  deftroy  our  being,  it  is  no  proof  he 
will  do  it,  neither  is  there  a  text  in  the  bible 
that  afferts  he  will,  if  there  was,  it  would  con- 
tradict fome  of  the  plaineft  declarations  that 
ever  dropt  from  his  facred  lips. 

I  would  add  a  few  thoughts  further  reflect- 
ing the  righteous  and  the  wicked. 

I  expect  from  the  account  revealed  in  the 
holy  fcriptures  reflecting  the  firft  refurrection, 
it  will  be  the  happieft  and  molt  joyful  day  that 
the  faints  ever  experienced,  nothing  to  dread 
or  affright  them.  Then  they  will  have  a  glori- 
ous reft  from  their  labours,  and  their  works 
will  follow  them  as  evidences  of  their  faithful- 
nefs.  No  lire  but  that  word  of  Chrift  that 
fays,  come  ye  blefled  of  my  father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world.  None  of  their  fms  mentioned, 
they  were  blotted  out  in  time.  The  word  of 
the  truth  of  the  gofpel  had  loofed  them  in 
time,  and  then  they  will  be  loofed  in  heaven, 
Matt.  xvi.  The  Son  of  God  had  made  them 
free  in  time,  and  then  they  will  be  made  free 
indeed.  Then  their  bleffed  redeemer  will  fee 
them  again  in  a  glorified  manner,  and  make 
their  hearts  rejoice,  John  xvi.  Then  he  will 
appear  their  Saviour  before  his  ancients  glori- 
oufty,  viz.  the  aged  angels,  Ifai.  xxiv.  I  do 
not  recollect  the  mention  of  books  to  judge  the 


(  63  ) 

iheep,  but  the  children  of  the  firft  refurrecrion 
have  their  deeds  of  charity  and  labours  of  love 
mentioned,  but  not  one  of  their  fins  they  were 
forgiven,  and  blotted  out  in  time.  Number- 
lefs  millions,  even  all  that  havepapt  in  the  firft 
refurrecrion,  will  enter  through  the  gates  in- 
to the  beloved  city,  after  they  have  met  their 
returning  faviour  in  the  air,  the  city,  the  rev- 
elater  defcrlbes,  chap.  xxi.  Like  Jacob's  ladder, 
reaching  from  earth,  with  its  foundations 
12020  furlongs  into  the  air,  fo  far  muft  they 
afcend  and  enter  the  pearly  gates.  If  this  city 
will  not  reach  from  earth  to  the  heavens  1 2000 
furlongs,  or  1500  miles,  I  can  form  no  idea 
how  gog  and  magog  could  go  up  upon  the 
breadth  of  the  earth  and  compafs  this  beloved 
city  about,  but  to  furround  what  flood  upon 
the  earth.  It  appears  to  me  our  Lord  Jems 
will  reign  over  the  beloved  city  in  his  glory, 
with  the  children  of  the  firft  refurrecticn,  a 
thoufand  years,  before  he  appears  to  take  ven- 
geance on  gog  and  magog  in  flaming  fire,  let 
the  fire  mean  what  it  may.  I  conceive  the 
children  of  the  firft  refurrection  will  be  no 
more  difturbed  by  what  fat  an,  with  gog  and 
magog  will  attempt  to  do,  than  they  are  now 
in  heaven.  For  immediately  upon  their  com- 
paring the  beloved  city,  Jefus  Chrift  will  ap- 
pear on  his  great  white  throne  in  diftincldon 
from  the  other  thrones  John  at  firft  mentioned 
at  the  firft  refurrection,  and  call  Satan,  with 
gog  and  magog,  to  appear  and  anfwer  for 
their  conduct,  according  to  the  things  written 
in  the  books  St.  John  faw  opened  ;  and 


(  64) 

being  judged  and  condemned  according  t© 
their  works,  every  fecret  fin  will  be  revealed, 
and  every  idle  word  reckoned  into  the  dread- 
ful account  with  all  their  hatred  of  the  faving 
truth,  and  their  perfecuting  malice  difplayed 
againu  the  faints  of  the  molt  high  in  the  fev- 
ral  ages  of  the  world,  according  to  the  meafure 
of  light  nranifefted  in  their  day  of  vifitation. 
Than  that  knew  much  of  their  mailer's  will 
and  did  it  not,  will  be  beaten  with  many 
tiripes  ;  and  them  that  knew  lefs,  will  be  beat- 
en in  proportion.  Then  in  the  prefence  of  the 
holy  angels,  and  the  numberlefs  millions  of 
faints  who  belong  to  the  beloved  city,  God's 
juitice  will  be  demonftrated,  his  perfect  wifdom 
unfolded,  and  mifterious  providences  wifely 
refolved,  iris  attributes  wonderfully  difplayed, 
the  depths  of  divine  councils  marvelloufiy  o- 
peued  and  cleared,  to  the  joyful  fatisfaction  of 
the  righteous,  which  will  gain  their  univerfal 
cemfent  and  judgment.  In  this  fenfe,  I  con- 
ceive, the  faints  are  to  judge  the  world  of  gog 
and  matrog,  viz.  all  that  belong  to  the  refur- 
reenen  of  damnation.  To  perform  all  thefe 
things,  if  it  fhculd  take  a  long  time  it  would 
be  no  wonder.  This  will  be  a  dreadful  con- 
fternaticn  to  the  wicked,  who  will  be  fent  into 
the  lake  with  the  old  ferpent  that  led  them, 
and  there  they  will  have  their  part  of  the  fame 
kind  of  fire,  originally  prepared  for  the  devil 
and  his  angels.  This  fire  and  damnation  of 
hell,  muft  be  endured  by  gcgandmago:\  id 
their  father,  the  devil,  and  his  ange! s,  ekacily 
as  long  as  the  faints  that  belong  to  the  hid  ref- 


(  «5  ) 

.. -don.  and  their  bleffed  redeemer,  Jelus 
CJirift,  aiid  the  tied  angels  will  be  h^ppy  in 
h  .  ven  ;  for  the  holy  ghoil  has  teiLiued  it  re- 
peatedly and  exprefsly  by  the  mouth  of  Jefus 
Chriil  and  his  infpired  v/itnefTes.  i  will  add, 
whereas  the  difcovery  and  knowledge  of  the 
truth  is  the  higheft  perfection  and  happinefs  of 
a  rational  mind  that  poiieffes  it,  what  inex- 
preGible  delights  may  we  conclude  the  faints 
will  feel  in  that  region  of  light  and  knowledge 
where  they  will  be  enabled  with  eafe  to  under- 
ftand  many  difficult  queftions  in  divinity,  and 
trace  the  intricate  mazes  of  divine  providence  : 
and  with  inexpr enable  delight,  know  and  fee 
that  the  Lord  is  righteous  in  all  his  v.  ;  . 
Pfalm  clxv.  17.  They  will  doubtlefs  have 
their  underftandings  vailly  enlarged,  their  ap- 
prehenfions  quickened,  their  perceptions  clear 
and  diftincr,  without  any  mixture  of  error, 
their 'memories  ftrpng,  and  they  being  in  ma- 
ny refpecls  equal  to  the  angels,  who  at  preient 
excel  in  flrength  and  wifdom,  Luke  xx.  36. 
They  will  doubtlefs  be  enabled  10  fee  and  dis- 
cern the  angels  and  fpiritual  bodies  or  the  faints, 
and  to  behold  the  glorified  body  of  the  Lord 
Jefus  in  all  its  heavenly  honour.  We  know 
it  is  one  of  the  o-reateft  pleafures  we  are  here 
capable  of,  to  fee  our  friends,  and  be  admitted 
to  the  prefence,  friendihip  and  converfaticn  of 
holy,  learned,  and  great  peribns,  who  are  like- 
wife  humble  and  familiar  with  us,  and  delight 
to  let  us  into  their  iecrets,  how  joyfully  do  we 
fpend  the  time.  What  happinefs  will  it  be  to 
hear  the  converfaticn  of  Chrift,  the  wonderful 

F2 


(  66  ) 

roiuiielior,   informing  and  leading  the  faints 

into  all  the  pleafant  fa  delightful  paths  of  divine 
wifdom  and  knowledge.  Then  the  faints  will 
be  informed,  I  expect,  and  underftand  in  a 
mcafure  by  their  great  inftructor,  our  Lord 
Jeius,  how  God  is  felf-exiftent,  and  without  be- 
ginning, and  how  he  can  command  into  be- 
ing things  -  that  were  not.  He  will  doubtlefs 
help  them  to  form  fuitable  ideas  of  eternity 
and  immeniity,  which  are  new  fome  of  the 
greateft  of  all  myfteries-  There  I  expect  the 
faints  wall  be  enabled  to  imderftand  in  a  mea- 
fure  the  great  queftion  concerning  the  caufe 
and  origin  of  fin,  which  has  here  fo  much  puz- 
zled the  chriftian  world,  and  will  be  inftructed 
how  it  was  not  inconiiftent  with  the  fupreme 
wifdom  and  goodnefs  of  God,  not  to  hinder 
or  prevent  the  dreadful  fins  and  wickedneiles 
which  have  been  acted,  and  which  he  had  pow- 
er to  have  prevented,  had  it  been  confident 
v.ith  the  counfel  of  his  will.  In  a  word,  I 
conceive,  they  will  to  eternity  be  entertained 
with  every  fuitable  thing  that  can  make  them 
happy. 

I  underftand  the  mind,  fpirit  or  foul  of  a 
man  is  an  invisible  exiftence,  not  compounded 
of  elements,  that  ever  I  could  learn  from  the 
holy  fcriptures  or  any  other  book,  it  is  created 
by  God,  and  has  a  power  of  underftanding, 
reafening,  loving  or  hating,  rejoicing  or  for- 
fowlng,  willing  or  refuiing,  and  capable  of  be- 
ing rniferable  or  happy,  and  has  a  thirft  im- 
planted in  it  ardently  to  defire  what  it  thinks 
will  make  it  happy,  whether  it  vefpecU  things 


(  67  ) 

of  time  or  eternity  ;  and  if  its  defires  arc  crof- 
isd,  it  is  in  proportion  miferable.  It  is  a  think- 
ing, incorporeal  exiftence,  and  therefore  I  con- 
ceive is  no  more  affected  with  the  element  of 
fire  than  air,  any  more  than  the  angel  in  the 
fire  of  Manoah's  facrifice,  Judges  xiii.  20,  and 
being  thus  made,  cannot  be  deftroyed  by  any 
created  element  whatfoever.  It  muit  be  an  act 
of  the  fame  godlike  power  to  put  an  end  to  it 
that  firft  gave  it  being.  I  can  frame  no  idea 
how  thoughts  can  be  burnt  ud  with  material 
fire.  How  many  fouls  from  the  death  of  Cain 
until  the  flood,  and  from  thence  to  the  deftruc- 
tion  of  Jerufalem,  have  endured  the  fire,,  flame 
and  torments  of  hell  for  thousands  of  years 
paft,  yet  they  are  not  deftroyed  or  confumed 
into  nonexistence,  nor  never  will  be,  for  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord  Jefus  hath  fpoken  it,  Matt, 
xxv.  46  ;  they  muft  appear  at  the  judgment, 
and  their  bodies  and  fouls  being  united,  mufl 
be  qualified  to  endure  everlafting  punifhment. 
where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is 
not  quenched,  as  furely  as  Jefus  Chrilt  is  the 
faithful  and  true  witnefs,  and  the  judge  of  the 
world.  Thus  it  is  evident  to  a  demonftration, 
the  bodies  of  the  wicked  that  are  fown  in  cor- 
ruption, muft  be  railed  in  corruption,  as  well 
as  the  righteous,  that  they  may  to  all  eternity 
perpetuate  the  memory  of  rebelling  againft  the 
law  of  their  God,  and  the  damnable  criminal- 
ity of  flighting  the  remedy  God  has  provided 
for  the  relief  of  the  guilty  that  believe  the  gof- 
pel  of  his  fon  Jefus  Chrift. 


(«8  ) 

Another  '  proof  that  the  wicked  will  be 
raifed  immortal,  and  be  in  a  ftate  of  miferable 
exiflence  without  an  end  is,  that  every  man  at 
the  day  of  judgment  {hall  be  everiaftingly  re- 
warded according  to  his  works.  You  own  in 
page  7,  firft  book,  they  are  not,  viz.  the  righ- 
teous rewarded  and  the  unrighteous  punifhed 
in  this  world,  but  the  unrighteous  are  refer  v- 
ed  to  the  day  of  judgment,  to  be  punifhed  ac- 
cording to  their  works,  and  that  it  will  be  more 
tolerable  for  Sodomites  in  the  day  of  judgment, 
than  for  Capernaum,  which  was  to  be  brought 
down  to  hell,  if  I  underftand  you.  How  can 
this  be  if  they,  viz.  the  inhabitants  of  Caperna- 
um and  the  Sodomites  ail  perifh  together,  be- 
ing confumed  into  nonexiftence,  and  having 
a  final  end  at  the  fame  time  by  burning  ?  Will 
Sodom  have  an  eaiier  death  than  Capernaum  r 
Which  way  can  it  be  anfwered  ?  The  only  pre- 
tended reafon  that  I  can  think  of,  was  thought 
upon  and  gueffed  at  by  one  Mr,  Samuel  Bourn^ 
many  ages  paft,  who  had  fome  followers  called 
Boumeans.  He  held  "  the  final  punithment  of 
the  wicked  will  be  a  total  extinction  of  life  and 
being,  and  that  the  ientence  of  eternal  death, 
or  annihilation,  mall  be  executed  with  more  or 
lefs  torment  preceding  or  attending  the  final 
period  in  proportion  to  the  great  or  lefs  guilt 
of  the  criminal.5'  His  opinion  or  fey  fo,  is  all 
the  proof  I  have  ever  feen,  for  the  Bible  fays 
no  fuch  thing.  How  is  it  poillbie  to  conceive 
how  the  torments  and  vengeance  of  eternal 
lire,  fullered  by  the  Sodomites  fo  many  ages 
before  the  inhabitants  of  Careriiavju  had  a  be- 


(69) 

ing,  and  until  the  day  of  judgment,  when  Sod- 
om and  Capernaum  muil  appear  and  be  judg- 
ed ?  Then  to  be  burnt  up  in  a  few  minutes, 
together  with  the  fame  kind  of  hre,  and  ceaie 
to  be,  as  though  they  never  had  a  being.  How 
is  it  poilible  to  conceive  and  reconcile  fuch  a 
ftrange  opinion  with  the  divine  rule  our  Lord 
Jefu  sfays  he  mall  regard  ?  Luke  xii.  In  which 
chap,  we  are  informed  the  aggravation  of  guilt, 
and  the  proportionable  puniihment  or  {tripes, 
will  be  according  to  the  Eght  and  knowledge  of 
their  matter's  will  which  they  have  finned  a- 
gainft.  Sodom  had  the  law  of  creation.  Ca- 
pernaum was  exalted  to  heaven  in  privileges, 
having  the  bleiled  gofpel  and  mighty  works  of 
our  Lord  Jefus  manifested  among  them.  Chrift 
fays,  Matt.  xi.  23,  "  And  thou,  Capernaum, 
which  art  exalted  unto  heaven,  mall  be  brought 
down  to  hell  :  for  if  the  mighty  works  which 
have  been  done  in  thee  had  been  done  in  Sod- 
om, it  would  have  remained  until  this  day." 
How  is  it  poilible  to  reconcile  fuch  an  opinion 
with  the  divine  rule  ?  it  cannot  be  comprehend- 
ed, neither  can  it  be  proved  by  any  text 
cxpreiled  in  the  bible  ;  it  may  be  gueffed  at 
and  that  is  all.  Mr,  Bourn  is  the  only 
man,  with  his  few  followers,  that  I  read  or 
ever  heard  of,  thai  held  the  foul  is  mor- 
tal, before  your  publications  appeared,  ex- 
cepting the  mortal  deiits  who  deny  Jefus  Chrift 
to  be  the  Saviour  of  Sinners,  and  hold  the  foul 
is  mortal,  and  has  a  final  end  when  the  body 
returns  to  the  dull.  Mr.  Bourn's  ideas  appear 
to  mc  to  be  a  compound  opinion,  made  up  of 


(  7o) 

part  mortal  deifm  and  part  divine  revelation. 
I  fay  in  part,  for  there  is  not  a  word  or  fylla- 
ble  expreiTed  in  the  bible  that  the  foul  of  man 
is  mortal,  or  that  the  rebel  angels  are  mortal, 
or  that  either  of  them  will  have  a  final  end,  or 
be  no  more,  or  ceafe  to  be  ;  all  fuch  words  with 
total  extinction  of  being,  are  added  by  thofc 
who  dare  to  add  more  than  what  the  holy 
ghoft  has  expreiled,  in  order  to  make  out  the 
foul  or  thinking  mind  of  man  is  mortal,  and 
can  be  burnt  up  with  material  fire. .  I  conceive 
it  is  a  contradiction  to  fcripture,  and  repug- 
nant to  reafon.  Jefus  Chrift  fays,  the  left  hand 
nations  fhall  go  away  into  everlafting  punifh- 
ment.  You  fay  they  are  to  perim,  and  ceafe 
to  have  an  exiftence,  if  I  underftand  you.  Let 
your  own  confeience  as  well  as  others,  judge 
which  is  to  be  believed,  Jefus  Chrift's  plain  and 
exprefs  declaration,  or  your  private  opinion 
of  the  meaning  of  certain  figurative  and  met- 
aphorical  texts  of  fcripture.  What  proves  that 
you  are  miftaken  in  your  cafting  of  figures, 
I  mean  your  glofs  and  private  interpretations  of 
figurative  texts  and  metaphorical  fentences  of 
fcripture,  is  this,  viz  :  The  furn  total  of  your 
account  refpecting  the  puiiimmcnt  of  the  wick- 
ed after  the  day  of  judgment,  is  as  contrary 
ro  the  account  fummed  up  by  Jefus  Chrift  and 
his  infpired  witnefTes,  as  the  eafl  point  of  a 
coinpafs  is  from  the  weft,  which  is  fo  oppofite 
to  each  other  they  never  will  come  together. 
The  account  fummed  up  by  Chrift  and  his  in- 
fpired witnefies  refpecting  the  punifhment  of  the 
wicked  is,  that  they  fbali  be  turned  into  hell, 


(7i  ) 

Ffalm  ix.  17.  That  hell  is  a  ftate  or  place  of 
torments,  Luke  xvi.  23.  And  in  hell  he  lifted 
up  his  eyes,  being  in  torments.  And  the  fmoke 
of  their  torments  afcendeth  up  for  ever  and 
ever, and  they  have  no  reft  day  nor  night,  Rev., 
xiv.  1 1 .  But  the  fearful,  and  the  unbelieving, 
&c.  fhall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which 
burnetii  with  fire  and  brimftone,  &c.  Rev.  xxi. 
8.  And  thefe  fhall  go  away  into  everlafting 
punifhment ;  but  the  righteous  into  life  eter- 
nal, Matt,  xxv,  46.  Thefe  texts,  dear  fir,  corv 
tain  in  fubftance  the  fum  of  the  punifhment  of 
the  wicked  after  the  day  of  judgment.  Your 
cafi  fummed  up  is,  if  I  understand  you,  they 
are  to  perifh  and  be  confurned,  burnt  up  and 
deilroyed,  and  ceafe  to  be,  not  having  exiitence 
hi  any  fenfe  whatever.  What  a  great  differ- 
ence there  is  between  your  account  and  what 
is  written  in  the  holy  fcriptures  exprefsly  con- 
cerning the  punifhment  of  the  wicked  after 
the  day  of  judgment.  Our  Lord  Jems  Chrift 
has  explicitly  declared,  they  that  have  done 
evil  fhall  come  to  the  resurrection  of  damna- 
tion, that  is,  condemnation  to  eternal  punifh- 
ment. Hence  it  is  felf-evident,  unlefs  you 
can  prove  by  the  fcriptures,  that  not  to  have 
any  exiftence,  is  the'true  meaning  of  departing 
into  everlafting  fire,  and  of  the  damnation  of 
hell,  that  is,  condemnation  to  eternal  punifh- 
ment in  everlafting  fire.  A  thoufand  of  vour 
gloffes  put  upon  figurative  texts  of  fcripture, 
will  be  to  no  more  purpofe  than  a  founding 
bsafs  or  a  tinkling  cymbal  would  anfwer  to  {till 


('7*  ) 

the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  the  trump  of 
God  at  the  judgment  day. 

I  am  aftonifhed  to  think  that  a  man  who 
has  been  fo  critical  refpecting  uling  any  words 
or  terms  of  fpeechthat  are  not  mentioned  inthe 
bible,  fuch  as  deity,  fovreignty,  trinity,  orig- 
inal, kc.  mould  get  fo  bewildered  as  to  fum  up 
the  meaning  of  all  the  bible  exprefiions,  res- 
pecting the  mifery  of  the  wicked  after  the  ref- 
urrecdon,  by  adding  words  that  never  were 
ufed  nor  heard  of  in  the  bible,  viz.  ceafe  to  be, 
final  end,  be  no  more,  reflecting  the  wicked, 
nor  any  word  of  a  flmilar  import-  viz.  nbnex- 
iiience  or  annihilation.  Can  any  chriftian  be 
6)  impofed  upon  and  milled  as  to  believe  that 
ride  holy  ghoft  would  leave  us  fo  in  the  dark 
about  the  true  meaning  of  the  everlafting  pun- 
ishment of  the  wicked,  that  there  is  not  a 
word  in  the  bible  that  exprefsly  informs  us 
what  is  the  meaning  thereof,  but  we  muft  bor- 
row unfcriptural  words  to  help  the  holy  ghoft 
to  mew  us  its  true  meaning,  or  remain  ignor- 
ant until  the  day  of  judgment  mall  declare  it>? 
let  the  reader  think  how  inconfiltent  it  appears, 
with  what  our  Lord  told  his  difciples  in  John 
xvi.  13,  "  How  be  it  when  he,  the  fpirit  of 
truth  is  come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  truth.,, 

I  do  not  find  by  comparing  the  fciiptura, 
that  one  of  the  many  texts  you  have  quoted, 
when  they  refer  to  man  that  is  a  worm,  and 
the  fen  of  man  which  is  a  worm,  means  non- 
existence, or  to  ceafe  to  be,  if  they  did  their 
worm  would  die,  and  confequentfy  the  fire 
would  be  quenched  mftead  of  being  everlafting. 


(  73  ) 

Dear  fir,  you  muft  be  fenfible,  I  expect,  that  the 
words  deftroy,  periih  and  destruction,  devour, 
confume,  &c.  with  your  other  metaphorical 
texts  is  made  ufe  of  in  the  fcriptures  in  differ- 
ent fenfes  and  has  fometimes  reference  to  good 
men  as  well  as  evil ;  fometimes  t  j  nations, 
fometimes  to  the  land,  to  povercy,and  feveral 
other  things.  Sometimes  to  the  power  and 
authority  and  evil  workings  of  men  and  devils, 
fometimes  to  falfe  confidences,  vain  hopes,  evil 
intentions,  &c.  &c.  All  fuch  things  may  be 
deftroyed,  confumed,  periih,  and  be  blown  a- 
way  like  chaff,  and  the  circumftances  of  men, 
and  their  mode  of  exiftence,  may  be  burnt  up 
and  confumed,  &c.  But  there  are  no  fuch 
words  as  ceafe  to  be,  final  end,  be  no  more,  in 
the  bible,  reflecting  men  or  devils  after  the 
refurrection.  They  are  unfcriptural  words 
that  the  holy  ghoft  has  never  mentioned  in  the 
fenfe  you  have,  and  are  not  to  be  found  in  the 
revealed  counfel  of  God.  You  have  borrowed 
and  added  th^m  as  they  have  reference  to  the 
doom  of  the  wicked  after  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, by  confequence  drawn  through  your 
reafonings  from  figurative  texts  of  fcripture. 
For  there  is  not  one  infpired  witnefs  recorded 
in  the  bible  that  ever  mentioned  the  words  res- 
pecting the  end  of  men  or  devils.  You  are 
fuflered  to  be  led  away  into  fuch  ideas  by  your 
own  human  refonings,  or  have  been  infnared 
by  the  reafonings  of  fome  one  or  more  that 
has  lived  before  you,  as  it  appears  to  me. 

Thus,  dear  fir,  I  have  freely  communica- 
ted to  you  another  way  that  I  underftand  ma- 


(  74  ) 

nX   tcxt^qj^  fcripture    different,  frqin*  the* 
Wily  you  ^  have  explained  them  >    ai^thayang^ 
granted    your   public    requeft,    I >  hope    you, 
will  not  take  it  unkind,  but  allow  me  the  fame:, 
liberty  you  take   yourfelf  in  publishing  your 
ideas  refpe&ing  the,  fubj  eels  contained  in  your 
feveral  books.     If  you  fee  fit  to  publifti  any  re- 
luarks  upon  what  I  have  written,  in  order  to, 
pull  the  mote  out  of  my  eye;  If.  you  wittire* 
gard  your  profeffed  Lord  andiMafter's  direct-. 
tions,  viz  :  Firft  caft  out  the  beam  out  of  thine 
own  eye,  that  you  may  fee  clearly  to  caft  the. 
mote. put  of  mine,  I /will  publicly  thank  you* 

If  you  mould  think  it  duty  to  perform, 
the  operation j  I  requeft-jyou.ta  do  it  friendly, 
wjth  your  utmoft  ikill  and  care,  for  you  know,, 
the  eye  is  a  m.oft  tender  part,  and  a  fmallanif- 
take  may  leave  it  moi;e  blind  than  if  you  had 
ie|  it  alone..    I  conceive  it  is.impoffible .for  you 
to  perform  it  well  and  to  good  effecl  without/ 
you   can   prove  to  a  demonftration,  by  z,  fair 
comparifon  of  fcripture. texts,  the  fallowing  , 
articles,  becaufe  they ,  contaux.  the, differences  1 
between  our  fejatimentsolwhat  we  liave  wrote  *~ 
upon. 

Firft,.  Ifej  you  can  .prove  the  fin  of  .prides  - 
united  with  the  difbeliei  of s the  .truth  l  is   not  * 
the  .firft  ox  original.fin,we  have  ever  heard  of  a*. 
mong  the  angels,  &  firft  took  place  in  the.heariu 
of  our  mother  JEve  on, the.  earth,  and  that  the:*, 
family  of  our  father  Adam,  born  after  the  flefli^ 
is  not  naturally  corrupted  with  it, .that  is,  not. 
having  a  proud  temper  and  a  difpofition  natu- 
rally, but  learait:  loane  other,  way,  and  thaiU 


(75) 

we  are  not  naturally  depraved  and  confidered 
in  a  ftate  of  unbelief,  nor  by  nature  children 
of  wrath,  nor  have  we  all  finned  in  Adam, 
neither  by  the  one  man,  Adam's  difobedience 
are  many  made  finners,  and  clear  up  the  mean- 
ing  of  fuch  texts  that  teftify  fuch  ideas,  and 
prove  that  they  really  mean  different  from 
what  the  letter  of  the  words  evidently  de- 
dare id.  That  Adam  did  not  die  a  death  of 

trefpafs  and  fm  in   the  very  day  he  trefpaffed 

and  eat   the<fcrbidden   fruit 3d.  That  their 

Worm,  our  Lord  Jefus  fays  fhall  never  die, 
Mark  ix.  doth  not  mean  man  tfcat  is  a  worm, 
and  the  fon  of  man  which  is  a  worm,  con  fill- 
ing of  body  andfoul,as  I  have  defer ibed  it  after 
the  refur recti  on,  and  prove  what  it  doth  mean 

according  to  fcripture  account 4th.  That  the 

words  or  expreffion  forever  and  ever,  have  dif- 
ferent meanings  reflecting  duration  in  the 
new  teftament,  and  prove  wherein  and  when 

it  differs  in  its  meaning 5th.  That  the  fcrip- 

tures  do  make  a  proper  diftinction  as  to  kind, 
and  do  manifeil  a  different  fenfe  a*id  meaning 
in  cafes  of  criminality  committed  againft  the 
law  of  God  the  Father,  and  Jefus  Chriff,  be- 
tween everlafting  punifhment   and   mifery  or 

torment 6th.  If  you  acknowledge  there  are 

intelligent  exigences,  bGth  angels  and  fpirits, 
or  fouls  of  men  that  are  endowed  with  the 
powers  of  underftanding,  reafon,  and  a  multi- 
tude of  thoughts  by  which  they  can  form  real, 
juft  and  diftinct  ideas,  and  are  capable  of  hap- 
pinefs  or  mifery  without  corporeal  bodies.  I 
delire  you  may  prove    if  you  can  either  by 


feripture  or  reafon,  how  fuch  fpiritual  cxiften- 
ces  can  be  burnt  and  confumed  with  mate- 
rial fire  and  ceafe  to  be  thinking  exiftences 

Laftly,  Prove  how  the  devil  can  be  tormented 
for  ever  and  ever  without  he  exifts  for  ever 
and  ever,  Rev.  xx.  i  o.  If  you  can  prove  thefe 
articles  by  fair  comparing  of  feripture  texts, 
expreilive  of  the  matters  wherein  we  differ  in 
fentiments,  you  will  pull  the  mote  out  of  my 
eye  completely,  and  help  me  to  new  fight  and 
new  feripture  light,  and  many  more,  and  will 
have  an  old  man  converted  to  your  faith,  if  I 
live  to  fee  thefe  things  cleared  up  to  demon- 
ftration.  For  I  have  been  praying  to  the  Lord 
more  than  fifty  years  by  day  and  by  night,  that 
I  might  know  what  is  truth.  And  I  fiand  as 
ready  to  receive  new  light  and  inftruction  in 
the  Hoe  of  bible  truth  as  ever  I  did,  and  I  am 
as  willing  you  fiiould  be  the  initrument,  if  the 
Lord  will,  to  lelo  me  as  any  man  in  the  world. 
If  I  retain    any  ■    reflecting  what   I  have 

written,  I  fiiould  rejoice  to  change  it  away  for 
the  truth, and  think  I  mould  make  a  very  good 
bargain. 

If  you  undertake  to  clear  up  the  articles 
mentioned,and  inftead  of  communicating  light 
to  my  uncierftandingatmould  appear  to  me  that 
you  have  darkened  counfel  with  words,v/ithout 
icriptural  knowledge,  perhaps  I  may  feel  it  du- 
ty to  try  to  help  you  again,  if  I  Ihould  live 
to  have  opportunity.  ;  But  if  you  fee  fit  to  act 
the  critic,  and  take  notice  of  fuch  things  as  are 
not  to  the  purpofe,  inftead  of  particularly  en; 
favouring  to  clear  up  the  articles  I  have  men- 


(77) 

tioned,  I  conceive  it  will  appear  to  every  en*, 
lightened,  unprejudiced  mind,  it  is  becaufe  you 
are  confeious  it  cannot  be  performed,  and  fo 
endeavour  to  quibble,  or  fay  fomething  elfe  to 
evade  it.  If  you  fhould  thus  proceed,  and  do 
not  hurt  yourfelf  and  the  caufe  ySu  are  main- 
taining, I  am  not  careful  refpe&ing  your  hurt- 
ing me  or  the  caufe  I  am  endeavouring  to 
maintain,  and  I  ihall  view  it  unworthy  of  a 
public  anfwer  :  meantime  I  will  hope  better 
things  of  you.  I  am  fenfible,  dear  fir,  that  he 
who  undertakes  to  confute  error,  mould  him- 
felf  be  a  lover  of  truth,  and  of  mankind.  I  am 
likewife  fenfible  of  the  imperfection  of  all  hu- 
man knowledge,  and  that  it  is  difficult  to  as- 
certain the  exact  fenfe  of  fome  paffages  of  the 
divine  oracles.  If  you  or  any  other  reacler 
find,  by  having  any  further  light  than  I  have 
attained  ;  that  I  have  made  any  material  mif- 
takes,  and  will  make  it  appear  that  I  have  con- 
tradicted the  confident  line  of  bible  truth  by 
what  I  have  published,  inftead  of  being  offen- 
ded, I  truft  I  ihall  thank  you,  or  him,  for  be- 
ing inilructed  more  perfectly ;  provided  you 
or  any  other  do  it  in  a  chriftian,  friendly  man- 
ner ;  and  I  defire  your !  pity  as  chriilians,  and 
wherein  you  will  {hew  me  I  have  erred  as  a 
man,  I  will  endeavour  you  {hall  fee  that  as  a 
chrifdan,  it  was  not  my  want  of  love  to  the 
truth,  but  want  of  light  to  difcover  it,  that 
miiled  me. 

I  pray  the  Father  of  lights,  the  author  of 
truth, and  the  giver  of  grace,  may  enlighten  our 
minds  to  diftinguiih  the  truth  of  God  from 


(75) 

the  errors  of  men.  That  as  children  of  the 
true  light,  we  may  walk  in  the  true  apoftolic 
faith  and  divine  teachings  of  the  holy  fpirit, 
in  a  conftant  courfe  of  holinefs,  until  we  are 
made  ready  for  the  inheritance  of  the  faints  in 
glory.  This  is  what  I  wifh  you,  with  myfelf^ 
and  every  reader  that  is  a  fubject,  of  prayer. 
<Amen. 


P.  S.  I  would  inform  the  public,  that 
whereas,  Mr.  Elias  Smith  has  on  the  outfide, 
of  the  outfide  covering  of  his  Chriftian's  Mag- 
azine, fo  called,  publiflied  feveral  reafons  why 
Hiy  pamphlet  was  not  printed,  &c.  I  think  it 
duty  to  inform  his  readers  they  are  not  true,  as 
he  has  reprefented  them.  I  cannot  account 
why  he  Ihouid  be  fuch  a  meddler,  unlefs  he 
thought  it  might  fome  how  degrade,  &c.  If 
any  man  however  high  in  profeflion  of  fuper- 
ior  light  and  zeal  improve  his  gifts,  in  trying 
to  degrade  individual  characters,  or  profeffed 
churches  of  Chrift,  by  publifhing  wrong  ftate- 
ments  of  things,  either  by  guefs  or  information 
only  on  one  part,  and  thereby  convey  unjuft 
ideas  of  facts,  and  publifh  nicnames,  and  in  a 
figurative  way  try  to  render  the  characters  of 
his  fellow  men  ridiculous.  If  a  good  man 
ihouid  be  left  to  do  fuch  things,  we  know  in 
fo  doing  he  doth  not  realize  what  manner  of 
fpirit  he  is  of,  any  more  than  the  difciples, 
Luke  ix.  54,  who  wanted  to  burn  the  Samari- 
tans,    Such  a  good  man  is  to  be  pittied.     The 


(79) 

way  to  prevent  fuch  things  doing  harm,  is,  for 
the  reader  to  form  no  judgment  to  the  hurt  of 
any  char  after,  on  a  report  only  on  one  part, 
any  more  than  he  would  be  willing  to  have 
his  own  or  his  friends  characters  difefteemed 
by  a  party  report,  without  having  liberty  to 
defend  their  own  caufe.  Thus  let  the  reader 
do  according  to  Chrift's  directions,  as  he  would 
have  another  do  by  him,  and  it  will  put  it  out 
of  the  power  of  any  to  defame  or  degrade  any 
approved  character,  until  the  matter  is  fully 
known  on  each  part.  I  wifh  this  divine  rule 
may  be  regarded  by  us  all,  a&d  it  will  prevent; 
the  evil  effect  of  flander. 


Pi 


